Tokyo Ghoul:reBIRTH
by Demons Anarchy of Pride
Summary: After two years, I finally remember who I am... This time, I won't forget them. Never again.
1. Rebirth Arc: Chapter I

_In this world, there are beings that walk among the humans... creatures that appear as humans, but feast upon their flesh. They hold no regard for human life, and devour all that lies before them._

_We call these beings of destruction... **Ghouls**._

**Tokyo Ghoul:reBIRTH**

"Nishio... sen...pai...?"

The words tumbled out of his mouth before he realized what he was saying. The name felt so familiar, it rolled off of his tongue so casually, so easy as if it was second nature for him to speak it. And yet, now, it felt so foreign to him, a word that meant nothing to him. No, that wasn't quite true... this name... it was important to him... but why? Why was it important?

_W-what...? W-who...?!_

Memories began to writhe angrily in his mind, some flashing before his eyes, and others proceeding before him so slowly that it was almost agonizing. They were all out of order, one scene familiar and the other foreign. They were clashing against him, so out of place and unfamiliar...

And yet, a few of them stood out to him.

_**Oi, Shitty Kaneki... if you're late, I'll kill you.**_

_K-Kaneki... That name... W-why did it sound familiar...?!_

_**Haha, oh man, Kaneki...! Seriously, that's hilarious!**_

_Wh-who is that... Why do I feel so...?!_

_**I want to help those like my daughter... and you as well, Kaneki.**_

_That man... W-who... Why does he...?_

_**Don't ever come back to Anteiku!**_

_A-Anteiku... Why... Why does that sound..._

_**Kaneki...? Hey, Kaneki, is that you man? What's with the get-up? Are you cosplaying or something?**_

_N-no... He can't... No, stop..._

_Please... I don't want him to..._

_**What are you talking about? I already know about that, man!**_

_**Come on, what do you say we just go home already?**_

_**Gah, stupid Kaneki... How many times do I have to fucking tell you?**_

_**Sometimes, it's better to be hurt than to hurt others.**_

_**What's one thousand times seven?**_

_**I'm done not being able to do anything anymore.**_

_**Is it wrong for Ghouls to live?**_

_**The act of taking a life shall amount to all the evils in the world.**_

_**Mom... Why did you leave me...**_

His mind was reeling, the memories becoming more clearer. His head felt like it was about to split open, crimson streaks running down his face while his hands dug into his school, as if trying to end the pain. His teeth grinded together harshly, his knees on the floor, and his head against the ground. "M-my head...!"

"**Do you remember now... Haise...?"**

He didn't look up. The pain, it wouldn't stop...

"**How much longer do you intend to keep living a false life?"**

He didn't answer. He just wanted it to end.

"**How much longer do you want them to suffer, all because of your own selfish desire?"**

He forced himself to look up, his bangs clouding most of his vision. He was there again, that white-haired boy that always tempted him, that demanded that he give his body back to him. He didn't bother listen to him back then, pushing him back to the depths of his subconscious. He knew that, somewhere, this was how he used to be, his former self.

"**Do you want to continue going on like this...?"** the white-haired boy asked, looking down on Haise, tilting his head while his hands rested on his knees. Haise could hear the faint rattle of chains, cuffs dangling from his wrists. **"Why do are so adamant on living like this?"**

Again, Haise didn't answer. The pain continued to grow, his body quivering. The memories were beginning to place themselves together properly, images becoming clearer, moments becoming brighter, and faces turning sharper. He was slowly able to recall them... the people he had...

"I... I don't..."

"**You don't what?"** the boy asked, curious. The world around them, a room with a checkered floor and red bars as if mimicking a bird cage, was beginning to slowly break apart, cracks forming. This was a prison, so to speak, a prison of the mind. This was the prison he had been confined to, memories locked away with him.

"I don't want..." Haise sobbed, the pain not ending. "I don't... want to forget them..."

"**You mean your 'friends'?"** the boy asked, leaning in. He was curious to know the reasons why he had been rejected thus far, the reasons why he had been denied. **"Why are you so scared of losing them?"**

"I... I want to..." The pain was slowly beginning to lessen. Earlier, it had felt as if he had been stripped off all of his skin, and then tossed into salt water. Now, it just felt as if he had burning hot needles jammed into his body, straight to the bone. "I want... to protect them... I don't... I don't want to... forget everyone..."

He had forgotten the people precious to him before. Though he never showed it to anyone, to not even those close to him like Akira and Arima, he was conflicted. He wanted to remember the people he knew in the past, the ones that meant everything to him... but he was scared. Scared of remembering his past, of the "him" he used to be. Would he be a monster? Would he be a killer? Would he be human? Would he be a normal person?

It had been this conflict that made him so hesitant to recall everything, to accept himself from the past while living as the "him" he existed as now.

"**Protect them...?"** the boy laughed, as if finding Haise's words to be hilarious. **"How? Just by thinking of your teachers to give you courage? Since when has that ever helped you? Does feeling brave help you fight? Does no longer fearing the enemy give you strength?"** He leaned in, his lips so close to Haise's ear. **"Does it keep your friends alive?"**

The world around them was breaking apart. The checkered floor shattered into what looked like crystalline blue, and the birdcage falling apart, revealing an azure blue sky. Something was beginning to form on Haise's face, the pain dulling away. It crept along his neck, moving upwards until it reached his jaw. **"Let's say you finally decided to accept the Ghoul within... would you still want to protect your friends?"**

It was almost incoherent to the boy, but he could hear it, a choked voice stained with bloody tears. The crimson living substance was growing, touching the corner of his lip and covering half of his cheek. "...Yes..."

"**If you chose to become a Ghoul, would you devour others to protect everything you love...?"** Haise hadn't noticed it yet, but the mask on the boy's face was crumbling away, revealing pale skin underneath.

His voice grew. "I would..."

"**And..."** By now, only the ground beneath them was all that was left of this prison, the cage gone to show the brilliant blue sky, and the ground now a glassy surface. Only the boy's eyes remained hidden. **"If you had to fight CCG... even your mentors... would you kill them..."** A wicked grin formed on the boy's face. **"All to protect your 'friends'...?"**

Haise threw his face up, a scream tearing out of his throat. "Even then!" he shouted at the boy in front of him. The entire left half of his face was covered by a mask, the same one the white-haired youth had been wearing up until now. His right eye was completely blank, bloody tears still running down his eye, while a Kakugan rested in the center of the mask, twitching violently. Something erupted from his back, lashing and quivering, much thicker than the tendrils that had emerged from him previously.

The boy's face was revealed to him at long last.

It was his face.

The boy was grinning from ear to ear, as his body began to slowly start to disappear, fading away. And yet... Haise could not forget the Kakugan that seemed to burn wickedly in delight in his left eye. "Well..." the boy said, pleased. "It's about damn time..."

Hirako sighed as he looked back at Haise's unconscious form, the Q Suppressant bullet that Akira had fired from her sniper scope finding its mark in the base of his neck. 'Talk about a lot of work...' he thought, but still kept his Quinque out, in case the suppressant was ineffective. It was not uncommon to see what should have kept a Ghoul weak from being overpowered, if they were strong enough.

Haise Sasaki was among those individuals. He was classified as an SS-Rated Ghoul, after all. Of course, he still wondered what in the world the Director and the Chairman were thinking, allowing a Ghoul, especially one so dangerous, to be working with CCG in the first place, but he chose to keep his mouth shut, and do as he was told. After all, he was a subordinate, one of their loyal guard dogs. If he was told to do something, he'd do it.

Even still... this Ghoul worried him. He had actually managed to give his former teacher, Kishou Arima, some trouble, and that alone was enough to scream danger. Personally, he felt that the kid was as dangerous, if not more so, than the Owls, both the One-Eyed and the Non-Killing Owl.

"Well, let's clear this up..." he muttered as he tapped his hand against the communicator in his ear. "Mado, it looks like it's-"

"**...M-my fingers..."**

Hirako froze, and cursed silently as he turned just in time to see something lash out at him. 'Shit.' He quickly dived to the left, the ground where he once stood torn apart by sheer force alone. Dust and debris flied into the air, a cloud of murk flowing around the Kagune.

At least, that's what he thought it was until he got a better look at it, and cursed again, this time letting it slip out of his mouth. "Ah, hell..." Instead of a bloody tendril, it was an armored tentacle with flowing red beneath the gaps an underneath it, sharp twitching talons placed at it's sides. It looked like a demonic centipede, a factor that led to Haise Sasaki's alias during the raid on Akihiko Kanou's laboratory. He touched the communicator on his ear again. "Mado."

"I know, Hirako..." Akira responded despondently, saddened most likely. "He's Risk Level 2 now."

Hirako felt sorry for Akira, not in the way most would feel. Having a subordinate, who was a Ghoul, would certainly have people raising eyebrows, even if you were asked to treat him as a human being, but Akira had a sort of attachment to the boy, almost a mother/son sort of relationship, much like the father/son relationship Haise had with Arima.

She was about to lose the third, most precious person in her life since the Owl Extermination from two years ago.

"Sorry 'bout this, kid..." he apologized in advance as he watched Haise shakily lift himself up from the ground, his Kakuja returning to his side, and his arms hanging limply at his sides. "We'll try to make this as painless as possible."

"**M-my fingers... on the bench..."** Haise Sasaki growled, his voice distorted as his back hunched over. **"C-centipedes... crawling... in my ears...!"** He gripped his head, as if it were in pain, and threw his head back, letting out an ear-piercing scream as four bloody red tendrils, and another armored tentacle emerged, bursting out from his back and lashing around wilidly.

Hirako grimaced as he managed to avoid them, leaping back to evade a Kagune from skewering him before rolling off to the side, the Kakuja nearly swiping his head off. "You kids!" he shouted over at Sasaki's squad. "Get out of here!"

"W-what?!" Shirazu Ginshi shouted, eyes wide in disbelief. "Why?! The fuck is up with Sas-san?!"

Hirako couldn't tell them the full story about Haise Sasaki's condition, and instead informed them of the basic information they had on Kakuja. "First Class Investigator Sasaki is an Incomplete Kakuja. You should know how they act from the academy!"

"B-but, even still!" Tooru Mutsuki tried to argue, making Hirako groan. Thankfully, Kuki Urie didn't looked worried or concerned for his superior's well-being, albeit interested in this new development, but how come they had to be so attached to their Squad Leader? Honestly, sometimes it just annoyed the heck out of him. Attachment was likely to lead to sorrow, and he had seen plenty to last him a lifetime.

Last thing he needed was to see more of it, and caused by his own hand no less.

"**Hahahahahahahahaha..."** Hirako looked back to see Sasaki calming down, his screams turning into a hysterical laugh, his head still thrown back. **"A thousand... A-a thousand... minus..."**

'A thousand minus seven.' Hirako observed. 'A method used when being subjected to torture. More often than not does the subject experience pain, pain so severe it can cause them to lose their minds. However, by subtracting a thousand from seven continuously, they can maintain it, even as they feel they are still under undergoing torture.' The grip on his Quinque tightened. 'It was the method used by Jason and the Investigator that tortured him.'

"**S-seven..."** Haise Sasaki giggled as he looked over at Hirako, a purple mask covering half of his face with a black and red Kakugan staring at him, shaking and twitching, dashing all over the place, completely consumed by madness. **"...is what?"**

Once again, Hirako felt himself sigh. "This is gonna be a long day..."

-Chapter END (1) The Reawakening-


	2. Rebirth Arc: Chapter II

**Tokyo Ghoul:reBIRTH**

Tooru did not know how to feel at the moment.

She didn't know how long it had been since they started fighting, but it was clear that neither side was able to get a good grasp on the other. Whenever Hirako tried to strike him, Sasaki would defend with his Kakuja, and the counter with his Kagune, forcing him back to the defensive. Whenever Sasaki tried to impale or tear him apart, Hirako would find gaps in his attacks and use them before trying to cut him down, only for Sasaki to leap out of the way and bounce of the walls before slamming back down, ready for another skirmish.

'_I-is this...'_ Tooru thought, unable to tear her eyes away from the battle. No, it wasn't quite that she was unable to look away... it was more like she couldn't afford to. _'Sasaki-senpai's... real nature?'_

"**Hehehehehehehe!"** Sasaki laughed as he blocked another of Hirako's attacks before rearing his arm back, thrusting it forward. Fist met Quinque, the power behind the punch to cause several cracks to spread through the blade, and the force powerful enough to send Hirako flying, his feet skidding across the ground. **"S-seven m-minus thousand...!"**

Hirako's expression did not change as he prepared himself for another attack, Sasaki's Kagune beginning to quiver and shake violently, as if it were begging to skewer him. "No wonder they made him an SS-Rated Ghoul..." she heard him mutter before placing his hand against the communicator in his ear. "Oi, Mado."

Sasaki didn't make a move yet, his grin diluted with madness, and his eye blank, as if all consciousness within him was gone, replaced by insanity. Tooru, like many others in the academy, had learned about Ghouls that committed acts of cannibalism, and what it had entailed. The name Kakuja was a reference both to the Ghoul, and to the Kagune they possessed. By devouring other Ghouls, a Ghoul can develop an abnormal amount of Rc cells in their body, and develop a mutated Kagune, eventually forming into armor of some sort, far more powerful.

However, in later records in the last two years, Kakuja that were incomplete, or mutated Kagune that were not fully developed, would undergo a drastic change. Their sole focus was to destroy everything in front of them, and devour it with great pleasure... In other words, a mindless berserker.

Sasaki's personality was akin to the reports, yet Tooru could see something different. There was a fleeting sense from his stance, a hidden meaning behind his attacks, a message that he could not convey in his current state of mind. What that was, she was unable to decipher, so she could do the only thing she could: watch.

"Man, I didn't know Sas-san could be so vicious..." Ginshi grimaced, barely able to keep up with the fight at all. "And what the hell is that whole math thing about?"

"Half-Kakuja's don't exactly have a good mental state, Third Class Investigator Shirazu." Urie stated in his usual cold tone, yet even they could see he was interested in the battle. "And as for the thousand minus seven mathematics problem... it's a torture method used by the subject in order to maintain their sanity."

Tooru paled, her hand clutching at her sleeve tightly. If Sasaki had undergone some kind of torture in the past that resulted in him muttering a problem that could keep his sanity... She stopped her line of thinking there. She didn't want to imagine what sort of hell her teacher had to go through in the past.

In the end, she watched as Sasaki and Hirako battled each other, one trying to kill the other. _'Sasaki-senpai...'_ Tooru thought, her lips forming into a thin line, and her teeth clenched together. _'Please...!'_

Hirako leaped back from another strike, managing to avoid getting his head ripped off by Haise Sasaki, the Kagune destroying the wall he was in front of completely, debris flying everywhere, and shrapnel slicing his skin. _"Hirako, we're almost there."_ Akira informed him over the communicator as he sidestepped, evading a backwards kick that would have torn off his head. _"Keep him busy!"_

"Tell me something I can actually do." Hirako grumbled under his breath, twirling his Quinque around in his hand before he slammed it against two tendrils, destroying them before he dashed in, seeing an opportunity. With a quick strike, he lifted the blade upwards, slicing into Haise's shoulder. The Ghoul growled in pain using his other two Kagune to try and kill him. Hirako slipped back, stepping left and right to avoid being impaled. _'At this rate, it won't be long before he reaches Risk Level 3...'_ Hirako grimaced again, managing to place some distance between him and Haise.

"Sasaki." Hirako tried to snap the Investigator out of it, hoping he would be able to at least buy some time for Akira to get out here. If anyone had any luck of getting this kid back into the right state of mind, it was her. "You seriously want to go on like this? If you keep this up... I think you know what happens."

At first, he wondered if Haise would even be able to hear a word he said. He just stared at him, drool and blood dripping from his mouth, and his severed Kagune already beginning to repair itself, despite it's already degrading form. **"M-memories...!"** Haise responded, his fingers twitching madly, and cracking the index appendage. **"U-used... Made me... F-forget... Ev-everyone...!"**

Hirako's eyes widened slightly recognition forming. _'Ah, hell...'_ he groaned, touching his communicator. "Mado... He remembers."

At first, there was silence. She was likely trying to figure out the meaning behind his words. There were only a few people that knew Haise Sasaki's true identity, of who he was in reality. Besides him and Mado, there was Associate Special Class Investigator Suzuya Juuzou, who learned of it simply from past meetings, Special Class Investigator Kishou Arima, who brought him in the first place, and of course, the Chairman and Director. Many Investigators held contempt at Sasaki, mostly either because of his skills or of his nature, but there were a few that treated him as a human being, among them being Special Class Investigator Iwao's son.

"_...I see."_ Akira finally responded after a long pause of silence.

"I'll see if I can at least hold him down until we find a way to calm him." Hirako told her, steadying himself once again for yet another skirmish. "Who else is with you?"

"_Investigators Shiba and Tsumetaku."_

Hirako smiled inwardly. They were both Second Class Investigators, but their teamwork and skill were on par with that of even Top Class Investigators. _'Well, that's reassuring at least...'_ he thought before he blocked a strike from a Kakuja tentacle, moving back from another lashing strike from the tendrils. Haise finally got tired of waiting, and attacked, leaping into the air and slamming his Kakuja down up him.

Hirako scowled, and threw himself to the ground, using his shoulder to lessen the impact and roll himself forward, moving away from the destruction that occurred behind him. Haise landed harshly on the ground, spider web patterned cracks forming from underneath his feet, and the Kagune embedded into the ground.

Seeing another opportunity presenting itself, Hirako charged forward, his Quinque trailing behind him. Haise was already on the offensive, shooting his Kakuja forward. The centipedes tore the ground apart as they tried to impede him, however, his speed was enough for him to evade them, using his Quinque to deflect any that decided to get too close for comfort.

By now, he was half-way towards the Ghoul. He launched his Kagune, all four tendrils shooting straight for him. Taking a deep breath, Hirako steadied himself. This was a technique that he had developed, partially thanks to Arima back when they were working together. It was used against Ghouls that used Rikaku, but was primarily set in one-on-one battles, mainly such as this. Both conditions were in place, this it would be useful.

Stopping for only a brief second, Hirako slammed his foot forward, reared his blade back, and swung it at a diagonal angle. The four tendrils slammed up against it, the impact strong enough to create a shockwave that blew dust and debris away from them. With a swift sidestep, Hirako pushed forward, slipping the Quinque into his other hand, and put more force into it. Rikaku's were rather brittle, as if they were cable wires bound together loosely. No matter how good the regeneration, they were still easy to break.

The bloody tentacles broke apart, and Hirako continued. Haise was momentarily surprised by the action, but quickly recovered. Unfortunately, it was that moment of hesitance that allowed Hirako to get the strike he needed. Before the Ghoul could react, Hirako was already upon him, swinging his Quinque with all of his might. The cut was deep, slicing his chest open, and blood spraying out. Haise howled in pain, bringing his Kakuja up for defense. Hirako slipped the Quinque back in his dominant hand as he brushed up against one of the demonic centipedes, and lowered his body fluidly under the other, using the momentum to get another hit in, this time at the leg.

A deep gash was made across his thigh, forcing him down on one knee. Hirako wasted no time in dealing out more damage, and grabbed the Ghoul by the hair, slamming his knee into his face. He inwardly scowled in annoyance, dully noting how painfully hard that mask is. Haise was reeling back hard, leaning back as Hirako swung his Quinque down into his shoulder, tearing open flesh and reaching down to the bone.

"**G-GRAAAGH!"**

"Tch." Hirako let go of his Quinque, and twirled his body around, slamming his heel directly into Haise's jaw, pouring his strength into the kick. The power behind it was enough to send him flying, his body soaring through the air before it came tumbling back down to the ground a few seconds later, rolling on the floor before his body slid to a halt, the Quinque still embedded into his shoulder.

"S-Sasaki-senpai!" he heard Tooru Mutsuki shout in worry. Before he made any move, Hirako raised his hand.

"Don't." Hirako ordered, or rather advised them, depending on how you looked at it. He briefly glanced over, seeing him and Ginshi Shirazu about to run over to their fallen teacher, while Kuki Urie hung back, observing the fight in silence. He had been watching it closely, analyzing their battle performance and tactics carefully, as if trying to piece out puzzle pieces that had been laid out in front of him. "He's still dangerous. Wait until he's calmed down."

'_Or terminated...'_ Hirako added mentally before looking back at Haise. His body was shaking all over, legs trembling as he stood up, his face still diluted with madness and insanity as a shaky arm reached for the Quinque, grabbing it by the hilt. Red, spider-like appendages appear where the cuts were made, already working on the damage. Flesh was sewn back together, torn muscles reknit, and bones mended. **"C-can't... Lose t-them..."** Haise muttered, hissing in pain as he pulled Hirako's Quinque out from his shoulder. **"D-don't want... F-forget them... N-not again...!"**

At this, Hirako sighed again. He had been doing that a lot lately. _'It must be painful for him... having lived a false life up until now...'_ he thought, pitying the poor kid. For the last two years, he had been living in ignorance, living a normal life, and then suddenly recalling everything. The lie was gone, the illusion shattered. He must have been filled with rage.

"Hirako!"

Looking over his shoulder, he saw Akira accompanied by the two Investigators she had mentioned. Both looked shocked and slightly intimidated by Haise Sasaki's Kakuja form, his Kakuja and Kagune lashing around menacingly, and the mask with the insanity-filled Kakugan was not really helping matters either.

"That's..." Shiba said, taking the moment to look at fully see Haise Sasaki. "...Investigator S-Sasaki?"

"Heh, crazy looking bastard." Tsumetaku smiled nervously. "Doesn't look so tough with a Quinque in his shoulder."

"Don't let your guard down." Akira advised them. Hirako was probably the only one that did not miss the hostile tone hidden beneath her words. It was obvious she took what the man said about Sasaki personally, further proof of how she came to be attached to the boy. "Sasaki is an SS-Rated Ghoul, and he's an Incomplete Kakuja. His movements will be unpredictable."

"Hai!" Shiba nodded, unlocking his case and taking out his Quinque. It took on the form of a double-sided spear with bloody red tips, a metal shaft acting as a grip for him. The blades themselves were black with jagged edges, a small pair of holes near the base. Tsumetaku grinned, taking out a pair of dual blades nodachi lacking a hilt or guard, the blades black like the double-sided spear, and bloody red edges running along the flat of the swords.

"Investigator Mado." Kuki Urie called out, walking forward. Hirako was about to berate him until he saw the look in his eye, and sighed. Great, just what he needed, a glory-hound kid wanting to get rid of what he believed to be an obstacle. He absolutely _hated_ kids like that, too much trouble. "Let me fight."

"Second Class Urie..." Akira slightly glared at him as she unveiled her own Kagune, a chimera-type being a Rikaku whip with a Koukaku dagger at the hilt. In a way, Hirako couldn't help but admire the weapon, and Akira for being able to wield it. After all, chimera-types weren't exactly the easiest to wield, especially Type-A Quinque's. Then again, she had learned to control Fueguchi to its fullest extent.

It was to be expected of Top Class Investigator Kureo Mado's daughter.

"I know what the risks are." Kuku Urie said, his Kakugan already forming. His sclera darkened, and his iris became red. The Koukaku blade, much sharper and more refined that a Kagune, consuming his arm and forming into it's deadly sharp body. "Besides... I can't very well sit back."

Seeing the look in his eyes, Akira sighed before she adopted a cold look befitting an Investigator. "Do as you are told, and don't interfere."

"Hai."

"**Won't go..." **Haise growled, tearing Hirako's Quinque out of his shoulder and tossing it away, his lone Kakugan glaring at them in madness-induced fury. **"Won't go back! Won't lose them!"**

"Mado..." Hirako called out to Akira, looking at her while making sure to keep an eye on Haise. "Can you really harm him?"

If one hadn't missed the looks of regret and sadness that appeared in her eyes, one could have known she had hesitated in her answer, despite delivering it quickly. "...Do I even have a choice in the matter?"

Hirako chuckled, and looked back at Haise Sasaki. The Ghoul placed himself on all fours, his Rikaku reconstructing themselves back together, and the Kakuja shaking as they placed themselves in a similar position, poised and ready, the tips aimed at them. The Kakugan was dashing around wildly, as if trying to determine which one he wanted to go for.

'_Man, he just had to toss it all the way over there, didn't he?'_ Hirako grumbled mentally, seeing his Quinque tossed quite a ways away from Haise. _'Tch, remind me again why I decided to take this job?'_

Sometimes, Hirako felt as if he someone had screwed him over, but he pushed the thoughts out of his mind as Shiba and Tsumetaku charged in first. Haise immediately dashed after them, leaping up to the ceiling, using his Kakuja as a booster, and then bouncing down upon them, and slamming his Kagune down on their frail human forms. Tsumetaku used his twin blades to defend Shiba from the tendrils, leaving Shiba the opportunity he needed and severed a few of the tendrils.

Akira moved in, using her whip to deflect the incoming Kakuja as Haise slammed down in front of the Second Class Investigators, using his superior speed and strength as he ducked underneath a stab and swing, thrusting his hand forward and grabbing Tsumetaku by the face, his fingers digging into his skull, causing him immense pain. "Tsume!" Shiba shouted in concern, when it should have been placed for himself as his partner was thrown at him, causing the two to be tossed back.

Haise's demented grin as he looked at Akira, charging straight at him. His two Kagune lashed at her, but were deflected by her whip. Getting in close, Akira swung her arm, the blade meant to slash his body. However, Haise leaned back from the swipe. Akira was not done, continuously trying to slash and hack away at him before jumping back when his Kakuja came down upon her, defending him against her counterattack of whips. "Urie!"

"Hai!" the Second Class Quinx nodded, charging forward with his Koukaku creating sparks behind him as it dragged across the ground. Akira provided cover, knocking back his Kagune while Urie managed to evade the ones Akira couldn't get to. He reached the centipedes, and with a scowl, used the momentum he had built up and swung his body around. The Kakuja was severed, leaving an open path. "Die, Sasaki." Urie told him coldly as he used his leftover strength from the swing to rear the blade back and thrust forward.

He hadn't expected Haise's Kagune to block it effortlessly, nor the Ghoul to grin from ear to ear, blood dripping from his teeth. **"Shiny shiny..."** he giggled before he parried the strike, and jumped up, pulling his legs in before slamming them into Urie's exposed chest. **"BOOM!"**

"A-ack!" Urie did a spit-take as he was thrown back, his body tumbling before he regained his senses, his feet steadying themselves and his blade slowly him down. "Damn..."

'_To be able to use both his Kagune and Kakuja with such ease...'_ Urie noted, narrowing his eyes into a glare as he watched Haise and Akira once again battle, the woman trying to get a hit while the Kakuja, which had begun to repair itself, blocked each strike. Haise was bouncing all over the place, making him a hard target to hit. _'First Class Investigator Sasaki is far stronger than Serpent... So, this is the power of an SS-Rated Ghoul. Still, if I can kill him...'_ Slowly, a dark grin formed on his face. _'My promotion is all but assured.'_

Torso, or Saeki, could not believe what he was seeing. Normally, after watching Serpent getting the shit kicked out of him by that Investigator/Ghoul, he would have left, especially when those Investigators showed up. However, while watching the boy writhe around in pain, clutching his head in agony, he couldn't help but feel captivated.

He soon learned why only a few short minutes later when he saw the boy go berserk, seemingly embracing his Ghoul nature, accompanied by two oddly-shaped Kagune that resembled centipedes. It only took him a few minutes to realize that what he was looking at was not Kagune, but rather, a fucking _Kakuja_!

'_D-dear God...'_ Saeki paled at the thought of having to face this guy, should the situation ever come. All of a sudden, he'd take those brats from earlier over this guy! _'He's fighting against his comrades like they're nothing to him... But...'_

His gaze fell over to the girl that had been pretending to be a boy. A tomboy, he supposed, but something about her made him feel as if his body was floating, a sort of longing that couldn't be satiated unless he held her in his arms, or just by gazing into her lovely eyes. The girl's name... they said it was Tooru, right? _'Tooru...'_ he thought, a warm feeling embracing his body. Oh, how he wanted to go down there and hold her... His arms wrapping around her small, frail body...!

He wanted her... Saeki wanted Tooru.

He would make her his, consequences be damned.

-Chapter END (2) Centipede-


	3. Rebirth Arc: Chapter III

**Tokyo Ghoul:reBIRTH**

Akira didn't know how this happened, but she sure as hell did not like it.

The fight had been going on for ten minutes now. None of the Investigators here were like her former partner; they were not physically built for fights of this caliber. Even Amon, whose endurance and stamina were probably on par with a Ghoul, would have trouble dealing with Haise.

Rikaku's were probably the closest to Bikaku in nature. Their Kagune was created to deal with large crowd, and despite their brittle nature, they could easily take down entire forces. They were not all-rounder, but they could definitely wipe out a lot of enemies. Unfortunately, that was where their weakness lay, as they could not handle such large numbers. However, if they were fighting a single enemy, then the enemy would not be able to fight without risk of losing their life.

Their numbers ranked into five, and Haise was but one Ghoul. However, he was far beyond the abilities of any normal Ghoul, and two facts made him especially dangerous, potentially enough to be classified as an SSS-Rated Ghoul like the One-Eyed Owl. The first fact was that he was a One-Eyed Ghoul, like the Owl, despite him being an artificial one. The second fact was that he was an Incomplete Kakuja. Half-Kakuja were never in the right state of mind, and the possibility of one retaining their mindset was low, fighting like a mindless berserker and slaughtering whatever was in front of them.

However, that was what gave them an advantage. If what Hirako said was true, then perhaps it was a blessing in disguise. Centipede fought in a cold, calculating manner, if the reports were true. If he fought them in a correct state of mind, then the likelihood of them winning was far lower than what their chances were right now. "Hirako." Akira said as he bobbed and weaved around the lashes of Kagune, parrying a strike from a Kakuja before swinging his Quinque, destroying one of the bloody tendrils. "How good are our odds?"

"Right now?" he replied, sweat rolling down his face. "Not very... If you want my honest opinion, it's a wonder how we're not dead yet."

They were all getting tired. Urie was probably in a worse state than them, due to wielding a Koukaku Kagune Quinque. Koukaku users got tired really quick, due to the excessive weight of the weapon itself. However, simply because he was getting tired did not mean he was about to give up. Akira was well aware of that overwhelming spark in him, the desire to progress. To him, Haise was an obstacle that needed to be removed from that path.

"**I w-won't..."** Haise growled as he leaped back, avoiding being impaled by Shiba's spear. The power behind the leap was enough to create small cracks beneath his feet as he landed, his Kagune keeping him steady. **"D-don't want to... F-forget them! Not again! N-no! Never!"**

'_Dammit, Haise...'_ Akira's grip on her Quinque tightened, a scowl tugging at her face. _'Quit making this harder than it needs to be... At this rate, you'll...'_

Urie screamed as he charged in, his blade screeching against the ground behind. Despite the weight, he was able to move around fluidly, evading strike from the Kakuja before Haise got impatient and shot towards him, a hand outstretched. "Tch!" Urie scowled as he swung, twirling his body around. The wind was throttling against the force in front of him, however his target was gone. "What?!" Urie cried out, bewildered. "Where did he-?!"

He got no farther than that when he found himself slammed down to the ground, face first. "Gah...!" blood shout out of his mouth, a crater forming beneath his head. Haise, who was standing atop the tip of his Koukaku, grinned like a madman, chuckling. **"Fragile, easy to break! F-fragile, easy to b-break! Heehee~"** he jeered in a sing-song tone as he craned his neck to look at the remaining four Investigators. **"H-hungry..."**

"Well, there goes Investigator Urie." Hirako remarked calmly as he and Akira stood side by side, their weapons at the ready. "Looks like he's starting to relapse. Got any ideas?"

Akira was silent. All she could do was look for holes in his tactics, if he even had any. Haise was leaping all over the place, a white and black blur trailing everywhere. It only took her a minute to see a pattern slowly starting to form, a crude, yet effective one. _'So, even in his current state, he's still able to form a plan...'_ the female Investigator thought, feeling impressed before returning to the matter at hand. "Hirako, Tsumetaku, Shiba."

"Hai!"

"Tsumetaku, lure Investigator Sasaki's attention more towards the left. See if you can't get rid of those pesky Kagune."

"Heh." Tsumetaku grinned. "Sounds easy enough."

"Hirako, provide support. Try and keep his movements limited."

"Understood." Hirako nodded, the grip on his Quinque tightening.

"Shiba, try to immobilize his Kakuja."

"R-roger!" Shiba said quickly, ready himself.

Haise slammed back down to the ground, his grin growing, and his Kagune and Kakuja dancing together to form a monstrous, poised symphony. **"So... HUNGRY!"** he screamed out, lunging forward.

Hirako began his role, moving forward and performing the same technique before. Strike, sidestep, slip Quinque into other hand, and push forward. The attack was impeded, the Kagune and Kakuja stopped. Haise growled, about to attack Hirako with his hands and feet, but was forced to back peddle away, bouncing away from Shiba's thrusts.

"Shiba!" Tsumetaku shouted, dashing forward, his blades crossed together. "Hold him steady!"

"Hai!" Shiba followed his orders, using the shaft of his spear to his advantage. He slammed the butt end of the spear into the ground, hopping upwards and earning an extra boost, avoiding being skewered. Quickly twirling himself around, he removed the spear from the ground, and while in mid-air, brought it down, striking straight into one of the demonic centipedes. The blade struck a hole in the armor, impaling it all the way through to it's belly, and pinning it to the ground.

Tsumetaku's grin grew as he ducked underneath a swing from the Kakuja, using one blade to deflect an oncoming Kagune tendril before twirling the other around, swinging it with the momentum he had built up from running. The Quinque cut straight through the Rikaku, straight down the middle as it was split into two separate ends. "Here ya go, you freak!" he shouted as he drove both blades into the underside of the second Kakuja, slamming them down to the ground. He turned around just in time to feel something cold and clammy grasp his face.

"**Annoying pests..."** Haise growled as he drove his fingers into Tsumetaku's skull, his nails breaking through the skin, and the bones beginning to moan and creak from the pressure. **"...should be swatted away!"** With a powerful swing, the Ghoul tossed him into Shiba, only unlike last time; the power behind it was enough to send them both crashing into a wall, forming a crater.

"Over here." Haise turned to see Hirako's foot crashing down on his skull. The strength behind the axe-kick was enough to make him stagger, a moment of opportunity available for Hirako. Before Haise could recover, the blonde Investigator cut down all the Kagune, thus leaving him only with the option of close range. Haise growled in annoyance as he whirled around, flipping over Hirako and landing on the ground behind him.

He lifted up his Quinque just in time to block the strike, however, just like before, the Quinque cracked, now spreading through out the whole blade. He was thrown back behind the sheer force of the attack, his body tumbling on the ground before he managed to regain his balance, using the blade to stop his rolling form. "Akira, now!"

Haise's Kakugan flicked over to Akira, and his only uncovered eye widened when he found himself on the receiving end of several lashes, deep cuts and gashes beginning to form all over his body. He raised his arms in defense, but even they were being ripped apart. His Kakuja struggled to remove themselves from their confines, but the blades were buried deep, rendering them immobile. "Sorry about this, Haise." Akira quickly apologized as she ran forward, rearing the Koukaku dagger back. "This is for your own good!"

She thrusted it forward, aiming for the mask. It was meant to act as a sort of distraction, to leave him in a daze and leave her the opportunity to inject him with the Rc Suppressant. It came in two different forms, the first being the bullet she had shot to calm him down and suppress his Kagune, in the case it had gone out of control. The second was a syringe that could be injected into major arteries, namely either the wrist or in the neck.

In this case, the neck. She had to get him dazed, and then inject him with the Rc.

However...

"W-what?!" Akira cried out in shock, her assault having been stopped dead in it's tracks.

The dagger was caught between his teeth.

Haise's grin became wider, bigger than what she thought possible, and threw his head up, bringing her along with him. He began to lash around, swinging her and tossing her as if she were nothing but a rag doll. His Kagune finally regenerated, and pulled out the pesky Quinque keeping his centipedes restricted.

Finally, Haise bit into the dagger, ripping off a good chunk of it. Akira was sent flying into the air, her Bikaku whip coiling around her as she was tossed back down to the ground harshly, the Quinque reducing some of the damage. The Ghoul devoured the bits of his Quinque he had managed to bite off, his wounds already beginning to heal.

"Haise..." Akira growled, her hands balling into fists. _'Dammit... At this rate, he'll be...!'_

Her line of thinking was cut off when someone rushed past her, running at full speed straight for Haise. Her eyes widened when she realized who it was.

"Investigator Mutsuki!"

* * *

She couldn't take it anymore.

The pain in her chest kept growing and growing as she watched him fight his comrades. It wasn't like him at all, and his way of fighting was brutal, far more so than when she saw him fight Serpent moments earlier. He was actually trying to kill them, trying to utterly annihilate them and tear them apart. It was... not like him. She may have not known anything about his past, but she knew what sort of person she was. Sasaki was the sort of person who cared about his friends, the sort of person who couldn't stand hurting others, whether they be human or Ghoul, the sort of person that liked to joke around and care for others.

The person she saw fighting Akira and the others... that was not him.

This was NOT the Haise Sasaki she had come to admire.

"Investigator Mutsuki!"

Before she even realized it, her legs were already in motion, running straight for him. Sasaki's madness came in the form of a grin, but it did not deter her. She continued to run straight for him, stumbling along the way as both his Kagune and Kakuja lashed away at her, barely missing. Debris cut into her body, but she ignored the pain.

Tooru knew how useless she was. She may have learned how to fight properly with a Quinque, but she knew she was still unable to fight on the same level as everyone else. She was not like Ginshi, who ran head first with a grin, shooting away. She was not like Urie, who calmly analyzed the situation then went straight in for the kill. She was not like Sasaki, who prioritized the safety of the individuals and limit their wounds as much as possible, even if that enemy was a Ghoul.

Even still... if she could do this... then maybe...!

Haise chuckled, his voice distorted as if he were there, along with someone else. Tooru gasped in pain as she felt something clamp down on her shoulder, muscles being ripped apart and flesh being torn open. Haise's face was buried in her shoulder, both of his arms clamped down tightly on her. Blood tricked down, staining her clothes.

And yet... despite the pain... she felt a smile appear on her face as she wrapped her arms around his head. She could feel Haise pause, perhaps registering this as an action against him, as the Kagune became trained on her. "S-Sasaki-senpai..."

Haise froze, the pressure he had been applying on her shoulder stopping.

"I-I know... it must hurt a lot... But... P-please... D-don't fight... you're friends..."

His words had been ringing in her head ever since he spoke them. He didn't want to go back to the days where he didn't remember them, the precious people he had before. He didn't want to lose his memories of them. He didn't want to forget them again. He had finally reclaimed his past, and yet... he was fighting against his friends, the friends he had now.

She, along with Saiko and Ginshi, all had one fear, a fear they were unable to tell him up until this point. They had been afraid that, if he had ever gotten his memories back, he would leave them, that he would no longer be the Haise Sasaki they knew.

"We're... your friends... too..." Tooru told him, tears beginning to fall from her face and streaming down her cheeks, hanging at her chin before dropping down to her teacher's shoulder. "So... please... Don't fight us... Don't forget us... Please... Sasaki-senpai..."

At first, she wondered if he could even hear her. Incomplete Kakuja were mindless berserkers, destroying everything in front of them. She had read as much back at the academy... even still, she wanted to have faith in him. She wanted to have faith that he could hear her plead.

"**M-my... friends..."**

Haise's mouth removed itself from her shoulder, the Kakugan beginning to dim. The Kakuja mask, along with the centipedes, were beginning to crumble away, dispersing into red mist alongside their bloody siblings. A stream of tears was flowing down his right eye, which had regained it's pale iris.

"Hi...de..." was the last thing that he said before his eyes rolled to the back of his head, and his body became slack, leaning on Tooru.

She didn't relinquish her hold on him. _'Thank goodness...!'_ she thought in joy, a smile appearing over her face. She looked over her shoulder to see Ginshi walking up to her, smiling as he grinned. "Gotta admit, you did good." he told her, bearing his shark-like teeth. "Nice going, Tooru!"

She could only nod happily. Still, there was a thought running around in her head, a curious one that she wanted to know.

Who was Hide?

* * *

Akira sighed in relief as she stood up on wobbly legs, dusting off her uniform. "Well, at least THAT'S over..." she heard Hirako mutter as he walked over to her, his Quinque already back in it's case. "Remind me why we didn't let him deal with Investigator Sasaki in the first place?"

She smiled back at him before she heard a voice calling out to her via communicator. Tapping the earpiece on her lobe, she immediately went back to her usual strict persona. "Mado."

"_Has the situation been dealt with?"_ the leading supervisor asked. She grimaced, knowing full well what was likely to happen. She was just praying she was wrong, that he would allow this to slide. Of course, some part of her berated her, knowing that it was foolish to think so. After all, Haise had reclaimed his memories... memories the CCG didn't want him to remember.

"Yes." Akira nodded her head slowly. "Investigator Mutsuki has managed to calm him down. He is now at Risk Level 0."

She was met with a brief silence.

"_...I see."_ she resisted the scowl that wanted to appear, and the urge to scream at him in defiance. _"Investigator Akira Mado, these are your new orders."_

Hirako did not miss the newfound grip on her Quinque; small cracks beginning to form from the sheer pressure. Akira wanted to kill the man, he guessed. He honestly couldn't blame her. After all...

She was going to lose yet another precious person, and they would be taken by her own hand.

"...Understood." she said in a cold voice as she removed her hand from her ear, and slowly walked over to the two Quinx's. "Investigator Mutsuki... please, step aside."

Tooru Mutsuki was bewildered, looking at her superior while Ginshi Shirazu was immersed with confusion, frowning as he saw the cold look on her face, along with the sadness and regret in her eyes. "Why, wh-what's going on?" he asked. "C'mon, Sas-san's all good now, right? I mean, shouldn't we get him back so he can rest up or something?"

"Unfortunately... we have new orders."

"New..." Tooru Mutsuki gulped. "...orders?"

"Our orders are as follows..." Akira said slowly, her face emotionless, sans for the silent burning anger for the man who issued the orders in the first place. "...Eliminate the SS-Rated Ghoul, Haise Sasaki."

-Chapter END (3) Tomodachi-


	4. Q & A

Ohayo, guys. This is Demons Anarchy of Pride, and if you guys have read this story, good for you. I will be honest, I didn't imagine this would become so popular in so short a time! Still, I am glad I can deliver you guys what I hope to be an awesome story. Anyway, every three chapters or so, I will be answering reviews and questions. So, without further ado, let's get started!

**ICHeart:** Glad you liked it. To be honest, I always wondered what would happen if Kaneki got his memories back early, and this just popped out. Although, another fellow author, Lee, has the same idea in mind, though when he/she will update, I dunno. You might know her from the fanfictions Sublimation and Paragon, both of which are magnificent pieces of art!

**thesocialaspergian**: Whoa, calm down! Take deep breaths! Breath in, breath out! Wax on, wax off!

**sereneskydragonslayer:** I am glad you enjoy it.

**Akiss:** I do believe the three chapters I have released thus far are to your liking? XD

**xxxDreamingflowerXXX:** Once again, you have truly warmed my heart. I haven't seen you since I finished up Tokyo Ghoul DxD! Still, I am glad you enjoy this as much as I did! Things will be getting more intense from here on out, especially with the orders Akira has received! Also, in regards to what you and a guest have mentioned, I also agree. CCG is actually using Kaneki, training and honing him while at the same time creating other talented fighters. To them, Kaneki is probably their best chance at defeating the Owl. After all, if you're gonna fight a monster, bring a monster of your own.

**hairane: **I do believe the chapters answer your question?

**CALICO:** Spooky? Well, okay, if that's how you see it.

**Pypaez:** Continued.

**Leelhiette:** As I said earlier back in our PM's, take your time. Slow and steady wins the race. I'm a high school student, and classes take up my time, so I know what you're going through man. And I agree, Tokyo Ghoul Root A's end was absolutely mortifying... yet I can't help but feel as if HideXKaneki fans were screaming out in joy with that scene of him holding Hide. I personally am not into Yaoi, but Hide and kaneki are truly friends, through and through. I mean seriously, he accepted his friend, even after he learned that kaneki is now a man-eating monster. That right there, that is true bonds. Although, I would like to point something out:

Pierrot Studios handles the animation, and Ishida wrote out the storyline. In all honesty, I loved the anime, though Pierrot could have handled the anime better, and as for Ishida himself... You seriously left a whole lot of us heart broken man. One can only imagine how things will go if Tokyo Ghoul:re has an anime adaption. I just hope it will be another studio doing the animation, and not Pierrot, unless they get their act together.

**Kamufakito:** Thank you for your praise, however, I must confess, I pale in comparison to SUI Ishida. After all, he was the one who created Tokyo Ghoul in the first place, was he not? XD Either way, thank you!

**leena1445:** I have every intention of continuing, of that you can be sure of.

**Ultimate Touken:** Welcome to my world. And yes, that quote is among my many favorites, especially Yoshimura's speech to Shinohara during the Aogiri Arc.

**Sadistic Angle:** Let's be honest... who doesn't love batshit Kaneki?

**Lord Joyde:** Well, Saeki has an interest with Tooru, which is kind of similar to Tsukiyama's interest with Kaneki. I am also trying to stick to a character's roots, which is harder than you think O.O

**tsukinopen:** Yes, he will. Tooru is among his precious people, thus he will do whatever it takes to protect them. I can't say much, but there are some people Kaneki can't let go of, and they in turn. You'll see in the conclusion of the Rebirth Arc.

**Leo de Cielo: **You will be left amazed, of that you can be sure. My only worry is if I can deliver.

**Cifer66: ***sighs in relief* Whew, thank god! I was worried they'd be out of character! It's really hard to try and stick to a character's personality in anime/manga, so I was worried. Let me know if you do spot something out of place, so I can fix it. Humans are creatures of habit. the more mistakes we make, the more we improve.

**FreakyFee94: **P-perfect? Perfect?! Good sir, I am just getting started!


	5. Rebirth Arc: Chapter IV

**Tokyo Ghoul:reBIRTH**

The moment Tooru heard those words fall from Akira's mouth, her blood went cold, and her eyes became as wide as dinner plates, staring at the woman as if she had just spoken something absolutely tabboo.

Eliminate... Haise?

They were given orders to _kill_ him?!

"W-what... the fuck did you just say, Akira-san?" Ginshi gasped out, still trying to process what he had just heard. "C-c'mon, quit joking around. I-I mean, Sas-san isn't batshit crazy anymore!"

"I'm sorry, Shirazu, Mutsuki, but I'm afraid these orders come directly from the top brass." Akira told them. Tooru could tell from the way her eyes looked uncertain and the way she spoke that she did not want to do this, but she did not have a choice. Orders from superiors were absolute, regardless of rank and achievements. Tooru understood that well... but even still...!

"...No."

Akira did not flinch or look surprised. Then again, she of all people knew how attached most members of the Q Squad were to their mentor. He did not judge them, he did not belittle them, and he did not hate them. He did not make fun of them for their reasons for joining and becoming a Quinx, but he was the one that was against the project itself.

After all, the act of implanting a Quinque into a human being is the same as turning a human being into a Ghoul, an evil that could not be forgiven. CCG understood this well, but they did not care. So long as they accomplished their goal, they did not care if they became darkness worse than the beings they hunted.

"Mutsuki..." the female Investigator said, looking down at them with a look of regret. "I am sorry, I truly am... But we don't have a choice. Please... move aside."

Tooru did not budge. She had nearly lost her teacher, and she sure as hell was not about to lose him again.

And Ginshi was in agreement. "Bullshit!" he snarled, stepping between the two. "Look, I don't give a flying FUCK what orders we're given! Sas-san risked his ass to save our lives, and what do you bastards do?! You decide to get rid of him, and because of what?! He's a Ghoul?! To hell with that shit!"

Yes, they knew the rumors. About how Haise Sasaki, the First Class Investigator, was not human, but neither was he a Quinx. They knew he hardly ever relied on the power he had, focusing on the humanity he tried to cling to. He did not mind the harsh criticism he gained from his comrades, and he did not mind the glares. While she did not know about Urie, Tooru and Ginshi did not care about what he was.

Haise Sasaki, to them, was anything but a Ghoul. Even Tooru, who had lost her parents to Ghouls, did not scorn him. To her, he was something to aspire to, something to look up to.

After all, a man who abandons his comrades is no better than a Ghoul himself.

"Investigator Shirazu." Hirako stated, his face as calm and passive as ever. "Move aside."

Ginshi did not move. "Make me, ya damned fucker!"

'_This is bad...'_ Tooru thought, her eyes glancing back and forth between Akira and Hirako. Urie was still unconscious on the ground, and the other Second Class Investigators were beginning to stir awake. _'I know Akira-senpai doesn't want to do this, but with this situation...'_ She looked down at Haise's unconscious form, her hands gripping at his clothes tightly. _'There has to be a way out of here...!'_

Ginshi was having similar thoughts. Sweat rolled down his face, glaring at Hirako. He knew that he was Arima's partner in the past, and he sure as hell knew how dangerous he was. _'I dunno if I can take Akira, but I sure as hell know that facing him is suicide...'_ he thought, looking around for any sort of escape route. _'At the very least, I can find a way to get Tooru and Sas-san outta here...'_

His eyes fell on a cracked ceiling above him, directly between him and the two Investigators. _'Bingo!'_

"Tooru." Ginshi whispered as low as he could, glancing back at her. "When I give the signal... get Sas-san outta here as fast as you can."

Tooru's eyes widened when she saw the shark teeth he beared forming into a feral grin. This alarmed Akira and Hirako almost immediately, and instantly realized what he was about to do. "Yippee-kai-yay, motherfuckers!" he shouted, laughing as his right eye developed a gray sclera. His Quinque Kagune emerged, and before either Investigator could do anything, the shards were shot upwards, directly towards the cracked ceiling.

The moment the shards exploded against it, the ceiling collapsed, large chunks of debris falling down upon them. They each moved back, though Tooru was still stunned. Ginshi had his reasons for joining CCG, reasons that involved money. To him, the pay was everything, though while most people thought it was greed, that he wanted as much money as he could have, they were wrong.

"Tooru, move it!" Ginshi shouted once a large cloud of dust began to envelop the area from the debris crashing in front of them. "Get Sas-san out of here!"

Tooru snapped out of her shock, and slung Haise on her back, his arms draped over her shoulders, and her arms hooked around her legs. However, before she moved, she glanced back at Ginshi, who looked as if he was about to head straight into battle. She had been touched that he was willing to go to such lengths to protect the two of them, but even still, she couldn't risk him getting hurt.

They were comrades.

With that in mind, she did the one thing she never thought she would do in her life. She grabbed Ginshi by the collar, and hauled straight out from the underpass like a bat out of hell. "Wha-HEY, TOORU!" Ginshi shouted in surprise from being carried. "THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?! LET ME GO DAMMIT!"

"No way!" Tooru shook her head, moving as fast as her legs could carry her. She was a bit disturbed by the looks she was receiving from the people around her, since she was carrying a grown man on her back and hauling a young man around by the collar. No doubt it would look something out of a comic, or something akin to a kidnapping. "I can't let you get hurt like that!"

"Dumbass!" Ginshi snarled. "I'm trying to buy you time!"

"You don't stand a chance against Akira and Hirako-senpai, and you know it!"

Before Ginshi could argue, she turned around the corner, evading people around her. "Also!" She didn't know why, but Tooru mustered up a glare, and turned it at Ginshi. "I would never be able to forgive myself if I left you behind!"

Ginshi's eyes widened, and whatever rebuttal he had in mind was blown away. He hadn't seen Tooru like this in a very long time, not since when they had first met, trying to calm down a fight between him and Urie. Their first meeting had been rather comical, but it was also very important.

After all, Ginshi and Saiko were the first to respect her wishes to be referred to as a male and not as a woman. It had been her solemn request to the CCG, after having accepted the offer to join the academy to become an Investigator.

Once Tooru made a right turn, she looked over her shoulder to see if anyone was pursuing her. "Ah, crap!" Ginshi scowled as they saw two police cars turn sharply from the opposing street they were on, their sirens blaring. "They called in the cops!"

"Ginshi-kun, don't!" Tooru said, realizing what he was about to do once he started to run with her, albeit with a look or reluctance. "You can't hurt them!"

"I wasn't!" Ginshi replied as they ran past a couple, jumping over a railing and moving it towards the intersection. "I was just gonna aim for the tires!"

"THIS IS THE POLICE!" the men driving the cars announced through the speakerphones attached to their sirens, the cars quickly gaining on them. "STOP IMMEDIATELY! WE ARE AUTHORIZED TO USE LETHAL-!"

They got no farther than that when the car was suddenly overturned, slamming straight into the companion car. The steel carriages were sent tumbling away, slamming into other cars, and metal sent flying. Flames and smoke were quickly covering the cars, and the people watching it were panicking, trying to get the people out of the cars before they were either suffocated or burned to death.

Tooru did not miss the familiar tendril receding away back into an alley. _'Is that... a Kagune?'_ she wondered before she snapped back to reality and continued running with Ginshi.

They rounded into straight into an alleyway, lined with trash cans and dumpsters. "Ah hell!" Ginshi cursed when he saw that they had run straight into a dead end. "We're trapped!"

Tooru quickly looked around, but there was nothing. No fire escape, no sewer entrances... there wasn't anywhere to hide. At best, she could place Haise somewhere, hope he wouldn't be discovered, and lead them away with Ginshi. However, then she realized that they would notice his presence missing, they would probably lose interest in them and look elsewhere.

Dammit, what was she supposed to do at a time like this?! How can she be so useless?!

"Well, what do you know?" a familiar, condescending voice said from behind them. "The fakes decided to get rid of their leashes."

The two whirled around, and instantly, Tooru felt they had better chances with the Investigators. Standing between them and the entrance to the alley was a figure wearing a rain coat, the hood draped over their head, and an eerie pointed mask that resembled a snake. "Serpent!" Ginshi growled as he got between him and Tooru. "What do you want?! You lookin' for a fight?!"

"Heh, as much as I would like kick your asses again, no." Serpent replied. "I'm curious though, why are you fakers running around without your collars on? Didn't your parents teach you good manners?"

"Like hell we're tellin' you!" the Ukaku Quinque user growled, his pseudo-Kakugan flaring. Tooru was hesitant, unsure of what to do. Serpent was an S-Rated Ghoul, something that not even Urie or Ginshi could handle, even when they were working together. Haise was the only person who could handle someone like him, that much was proven during their fight.

Now that Tooru thought about it... Why hadn't Serpent taken the initiative to kill Haise when he had the chance? In the state he was in, he would have had the perfect opportunity. It didn't make sense to her. Why would you risk leaving such a potential danger alive, and the possibility if them coming after you in the future?

There was one theory she had, a theory she was willing to cling to.

"We... we defected." Tooru said, hesitant as she placed some space between her and the Bikaku Ghoul. Ginshi looked as if he wanted to protest, but kept his mouth shut when he saw the look on her face, and relented. "We wanted no part with CCG anymore."

"Oh?" Serpent chuckled, amused by her words. "And pray tell, why has their dogs decided to turn strays?"

'_If Serpent is who I think he is...'_ Tooru thought, taking a large bet and took a deep breath before continuing. "Our superiors, Investigators Take Hirako and Akira Mado... They were given orders to kill Sasaki-senpai."

At first, she saw no visible reaction, but it was not hard to miss the sudden action of hands clenching into tight fists. Her hearing was better than most, but that applied to most Quinx's. Their performance capabilities was on par with most Ghouls, but the difference was that they didn't need to eat human flesh, and they were still capable of eating human food.

Naturally, because of her hearing, she didn't miss the sound of anger and spite emerging from his voice, which was as quiet as a whisper. _"...they what?"_

"I don't know what kind of past you had with Sasaki-senpai..." Tooru looked uncertain about the plan she herself came up with, but continued. "But, it's clear you and him are friends."

"And why would I be friends with a Dove?" Serpent asked, almost defensively.

"Because... If he wasn't your friend, you would have killed him when you had the chance." Silence. "Look, I know it's hard to ask of you, especially since I don't know anything about you, but... if you're Sasaki-senpai's friend... then please... Help him."

"WHAT?!" Ginshi shouted. "Tooru, do you even realize what the hell you saying?!"

She ignored him and looked straight into what she assumed where Serpent's eyes, peering out from behind the mask. "Take him, leave us, buy us time, I don't care HOW!" Tears were flowing down her face, and her body trembling. "Just, please... save him..."

Ginshi just looked at Tooru, unable to understand why in the world she was asking help from the same bastard that tried to kill them and their teacher. Serpent was a Ghoul, and even though it was clear that he and Aogiri were not allies, it did not change the fact that he had nearly managed to kill them.

When Serpent began walking toward them, he immediately brought out his Quinque Kagune, ready for a fight, but frowned when he made no move at all, he was just walking and nothing else, no malice or hostility. The masked Ghoul walked right past him and stopped in front of Tooru, his hands now in his pockets. "...You care that much for him, don't you?"

"...H-he's my friend..." Tooru said through her tears. "He saved us, more times than I can count..."

Again, Serpent was silent for a good, long while before he sighed, shaking his head. "I swear, I'm starting to think that damned goody-two-shoes attitude of his is contagious." he muttered as his snake-shaped Bikaku emerged from his back. Instantly, Tooru and Ginshi were on edge, but their worries were slightly dispersed as he placed a hand on Tooru's head. "Relax... if you're a friend of Kaneki, then I guess I don't got much of a choice but to help you out."

"...Huh?" Ginshi was dumbfounded, while Tooru looked relieved, letting out a large sigh.

"Grab on." Serpent told them, stabbing a thumb at his Kagune. "But, if you drop, I ain't coming back for ya, understand?"

"Y-yes, sir!" Tooru saluted, taking a hold on his Kagune. Ginshi grumbled, wanting to stab the bastard for payback from earlier, but grabbed onto his Kagune nonetheless. Once they were firmly latched onto it, Serpent's legs became tense.

"Hold on tight." he told them before-

"AAAAAAAH!"

"HOLY SHIT!"

The two Quinx's were screaming as they found themselves launched into the air, clinging onto Serpent's Bikaku for dear life, though for Tooru, the task was proving to be rather difficult as she was still carrying Sasaki on her back.

Serpent was silent, but he was looking back at them, his eyes fixated on the young Investigator/Ghoul, a smile appearing underneath his mask. _'Seriously, you are one giant pain in the ass, no matter where you go, Kaneki...'_ he thought, chuckling. _'Man, can't wait to see the look on shitty Touka's face when she sees this.'_

* * *

"Heehee..."

Watching the events unfolding from atop a skyscraper was a small figure, their hands clasped behind their back. Their body was slim and petite, suggesting them to be female, their body wrapped up in white bandages. The only article of clothing they really had was the purplish-red cloak they had on, bearing a hood with ears.

"Looks like he's finally woken up..." the small girl giggled into her hand, her eyes dancing with mischief. "Still... I wonder which egg hatched? His egg? Or CCG's?" Again, the girl giggled before a Kakugan manifested in her right eye. "Either way... This will be fun."

-Chapter END (4) Haise-


	6. Rebirth Arc: Chapter V

**Tokyo Ghoul:reBIRTH**

"Welcome to my humble abode, stray dogs."

Tooru's jaw dropped in sync with Ginshi when they walked through the door. To their surprise, Serpent had brought them to a luxurious hotel, though of course, they used the back entrance. How in the world they managed to sneak past the security detail was beyond her, but either way, the room was both plain and heavily decorated. Like any luxury suite, it had expensive tastes all around, ranging from a mirror on the ceiling, a large King-sized bed, two bathrooms (lord only knows why), and a giant kitchen.

"How in the hell did you get this?" Ginshi asked once he snapped out of his stupor, stepping inside. "This place looks like it costed a fortune!"

"A little intimidation and connections go a long ways, kid." Serpent said as he lowered his hood, revealing messy light hair. He unhooked the cord from around his head, and removed his mask. Tooru's eyes widened when she saw a young man, probably in his early to mid twenties, carrying similar colors eyes. "Plus, the owner of the hotel and I go a long ways back, so this is just him helping me out."

"U-um..." Tooru tried to speak up, wanting to thank the man, but was unable to speak the words as he stabbed a thumb over at the sofa near the kitchen.

"You can put him over there."

"R-right!"

Tooru walked over to the sofa, gently laying her teacher down as best as she could. She couldn't help but wince when she saw battered form, scrapes and cuts and gashes located over his body, yet she could only marvel at how his wounds seemed to heal, spider-like limbs sewing and reknitting flesh together, soaking up any blood outside of his wound. "Jesus, they really did a number on him, didn't they?" Serpent asked, standing next to her without his coat on, revealing a simple black shirt. "Seriously, the heck did he do that made them wanna off him?"

"I dunno, really." Tooru answered truthfully. "I... think it might be because he got his memories back."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Sas-san said he doesn't remember who he is." Ginshi answered, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. "He doesn't remember anything past two years ago. He's been a member of CCG for as long as he could remember, and that isn't saying much."

"Is that so?" Serpent scoffed. "It figures those bastards would do something like that."

"T-thank you..."

"Eh?"

"For saving us." Tooru clarified for him. "And for saving Sasaki-senpai." The girl-er... boy... or whatever... stood up, bowing her head. "Thank you, Serpent."

The S-Rated Ghoul smiled a bit, waving her off. "Eh, don't mention it. By the way, my name isn't 'Serpent', it's Nishiki. Nishiki Nishio."

"I'm Tooru Mutsuki, a third class Investigator."

"Ginshi Shirazu, third class." the sharp-toothed Quinx introduced himself with a grin. "Oh, wait, I guess we should add 'former' Investigator, since CCG probably considers us defects."

Upon recalling that detail, Tooru couldn't help but wonder how Saiko and Urie were doing by themselves. In all honesty, she was worried about Saiko, especially considering her... condition... as Haise put it. Unless someone directly intervened, the girl was likely to stay in bed all day, playing video games. She wasn't worried all that much about Urie, but she still had a right to be worried. She still couldn't understand why that boy was so fixated on rising through the ranks. Couldn't he see that promotions didn't mean anything?

"So, how do you know Sas-san, anyway?" Ginshi's voice broke her away from her train of thought, raising a question Tooru had been wanting to ask since she met him for the second time. "I mean, you guys seem like you know each other, since Sas-san called you senpai."

"Work colleagues, mostly." Nishiki shrugged his shoulders. "Though, when we first met, I did try to kill him, and eat his best friend." Naturally, Tooru and Ginshi's eyes widened in shock, but before they could say anything, he continued. "Although, it wasn't until after he saved me and my girlfriend from a certain sick bastard that I started seeing him as a friend."

'_Sick bastard?'_ Tooru wondered who he was referring to, but refrained from asking. "So... you guys are cool?" Ginshi asked, still uncertain.

Nishiki nodded. "As far as I know, yeah. Anyway, I have to make a call. Feel free to raid to raid the kitchen, but don't touch the meat."

They already knew what he meant by that.

Once Nishiki left the room for a bit, Ginshi removed himself from the wall, moving over to where Tooru was. "Man, if Sas-san has friends like that..." he said, gesturing to where Nishiki had gone. "Kinda makes you wonder what the heck kind of life he had before he ended up with CCG."

Tooru nodded in agreement. However, Ginshi and Nishiki's words had brought up something, a rather important question that had been plaguing her mind ever since, added to the fact that Haise was a member of an organization that existed for the sole purpose of eradicating Ghouls.

How had her teacher ended up in CCG in the first place?

* * *

Back at CCG HQ, Urie was residing in the medical ward for a quick examination and look over, the checking for any fractured bones, wounds, or anything trivial or life-threatening. Urie complained that he was suffering from a headache, and he had a few minor bruises from his fight with Sasaki, but other than that, he was fine.

"Tch, unbelievable..." the Second Class Investigator scowled as he trudged his way out of the medical ward, his hands in his pockets. "To lose to someone like former Investigator Sasaki... How shameful."

He had not taken his loss well, but he was rather glad he didn't have to worry about Sasaki any longer. Now that CCG had considered him a threat, there was no one holding him back, no one to stop him from gaining achievements. In other words, he was finally back on track for his path to joining the S3 Squad.

Still... there was something about former Investigator Sasaki that bugged him, and it was not his erratic behavior. That sort of personality was common for Incomplete Kakuja. Rather, his problem was the form of the Kakuja in general. There had been something eerily familiar about it, but for the life of him, Urie couldn't figure out why. He chalked it up to probably having seen it in a report when he was going over files for investigations and possible cold leads and whatnot.

"I shouldn't let it bother me too much." Urie told himself, shaking his head of any doubts or confusion. "Besides, why worry about someone who will be dead?"

Most people would think Urie to be cold, but not him. Sasaki was a fool; he just couldn't understand the value of recognition and strength. Without recognition, you would be seen as a hindrance. Without strength, you wouldn't be able to advance. Without recognition and strength together, you were nothing but an ignorant fool. In this world, status meant everything. In addition to this mindset, Urie felt that Sasaki was holding him back, all for some foolish notion of worry.

Why worry about people that are expendable? Every person in CCG, even someone like Special Class Investigator Kishou Arima, they were all expendable, easily replaceable. Although, Urie doubted that they could ever hope to find someone as talented and powerful as Arima. The man was his goal, what he aspired to be, an Investigator unparalleled, bearing both the power and the recognition.

He was going to surpass that.

"Oh, Investigator Urie!"

Urie repressed a dark scowl as he turned to address the speaker. It was a young man wearing the standard business suit, colored black with a formal tie, his black hair slicked back. Urie recognized him as Takeomi Kuroiwa, a Second Class Investigator like himself, and a member of Hirako's squad. "Second Class Kuroiwa." Urie greeted, albeit reluctantly. He held nothing against him, but his father had been another story altogether.

"Are you alright?" Takeomi asked, displaying an expression of worry. It irked him to no end. "I heard you were beaten pretty badly."

"I'm perfectly fine." he told him, hiding his annoyance well. "At any rate, what do you want? I have to make a report to Investigator Mado."

"Just came to check up on you is all." _'Check up on me... Hmph.'_ Urie thought in disgust and anger. _'Don't try to associate yourself with me, you filthy pig. You're father is still alive, even though he left my father to die.'_ "I heard that CCG has orders to eliminate Investigator Sasaki... Is that true?"

'_Displaying worry for a Ghoul? I take back what I said earlier, you're worse than a pig.'_ "Yes. He has been deemed too dangerous to be left alone."

"And that doesn't bother you in the least?" Takeomi pressed the issue. "He is your mentor, after all."

"Was." Urie corrected him. "Also, I have no attachment to him. It only makes our jobs harder if we worry about other people, don't you think?"

"I disagree." Takeomi shook his head. Urie was beginning to find it hard to repress his scowl and anger towards the boy. Honestly, why must he waste his time with such trivial matters? "Well, anyway... Is it true about what they said?" Urie raised an eyebrow. "That Investigator Sasaki had a centipede shaped Kakuja?"

'_What is he getting at?'_ he wondered before answering. "Yes. He was able to use it in tandem with his Kagune to defend against Top-Class Investigators Mado and Hirako, and also against Second Class Investigators Tsumetaku and Shba."

"Huh, I see..." Takeomi said, his face suggesting he was deep in thought. "But, I thought that..."

"Thought what?" Curiosity got the better of him. Despite that being in Takeomi's presence annoyed him, he was genuinely interested in any information, at least things that mattered to him.

"Well, it's only a rumor, but from what I heard from my father..." Takeomi said. "There was a Ghoul that was able to put a scratch on Special Class Investigator Arima." Urie's eyes widened. That was impossible. Surely, he must have been joking. "And if I recall correctly, he had a Kakuja shaped like a centipede as well. Although, he was defeated, so I might be wrong." Takeomi smiled as he bowed his head, taking his leave.

Urie was left there, completely stunned. Now he recalled why former First Class Investigator Sasaki's Kakuja looked so familiar. It was because...

"...it's the exact same one used by the SS-Rated Ghoul Centipede."

Before Urie realized it, his feet were already moving, changing his destination from the Quinx House to the Archives room. If he could possibly find a lead, then perhaps he could find and kill Haise Sasaki himself. Although, there was that nagging feeling in the back of his head, a question that was constantly echoing in his mind.

If Kishou Arima defeated Centipede, and if he truly was Haise Sasaki... then why was he still alive? Moreover, what was he doing with CCG?

There were a lot of questions that needed answers.

* * *

"_WHAT?!"_

Nishiki cringed as he moved the phone away from his ear. "Dammit woman, can't you keep it down?" he told the woman on the other end, scowling. "Seriously, lower your voice. You almost blew out my ear drum!"

"_SHUT UP, SHITTY NISHIKI!"_

Said Bikaku Ghoul sighed, shaking his head as he waited for the girl to calm down, taking a seat at the ledge, having taken refuge up on the rooftop of the hotel he was staying at. _"...Sorry."_

"It's fine." Nishiki told her, smiling a bit. "I can't really blame you for it."

"_But... he's really there?"_

"Yeah, he is." he confirmed for her. "A bit beaten up, but fine. And he hits just as fucking hard as ever."

"_Ugh, what did you do this time?"_

"Hey, it wasn't my fault!" Nishiki tried to defend himself. "How was I supposed to know that was Kaneki? I thought he was just another freaking faker!"

"_You mean those Quinx?"_

"Yeah. I'm telling ya, those bastards in CCG are just as worse as Aogiri." Nishiki scowled, wanting to tear the ones responsible for the project apart. He had seen what kind of conflict it had brought Kaneki after he gained the Kakuho from Rize Kamishiro, and how hard it was for him to cope with the change. He wanted to tear the doctor, Kanou, or whatever the hell is name was for doing all those horrible things to him and those like Kaneki, using them like guinea pigs.

"_So... how is he?"_

"Still clonked out on my couch." the Bikaku Ghoul chuckled. "I'll let you know when he wakes up. Although... I wonder if he'll remember us."

"_What do you mean?"_

"Those Quinx brats, Ginshi and Tooru said that Kaneki doesn't remember anything about himself. As far as he knows, for the last two years, he's been a Dove."

"_But... wait, why is he at your place?"_

"Apparently, Kaneki went batshit crazy with his Kakuja, and now the higher ups labelled him a threat. They wanted to off him."

"_What?!"_

"Heh, gotta admit, those kids got balls." Nishiki smiled slightly, despite the anger he had for CCG as he talked about it. He understood why Touka was so angry, especially considering what they had done to her and those at Anteiku two years ago. "Then again... they're Kaneki's idiot friends. We're not much better than them in that regard."

"_Those fucking bastards... First they take Hinami-chan's parents away, and now they want to take away Kaneki!"_

"Hey, calm down." Nishiki advised her. "No use getting worked up. What's done is done. For now, all we can do is look after Kaneki like he did with us."

"_I know... Sorry."_

"Don't worry about it. I'll swing by your place when he wakes up. Hell, who knows? If he doesn't remember, just give him the good old Anteiku special, right?"

"_Hah, yeah... Alright. Later, Shitty Nishiki."_

The call ended before he could respond. Nishiki sighed, shaking his head as he slipped his phone back in his pocket. "Yeah... Later, Shitty Touka."

-Chapter END (5) Kaneki-


	7. Rebirth Arc: END

**Tokyo Ghoul:reBIRTH**

The first thing Ken Kaneki noticed when he woke up was a rather heavy feeling on his chest, and the strange unfamiliar, yet comfortable warmth that enveloped his being. He blinked rapidly as he opened his eyes, trying to get adjusted to the light. "Mnrgh... Where..." he wondered aloud as he looked around. It appeared to be some kind of luxury suite, judging from all the expensive furniture lying around. Perhaps he was in a hotel?

Looking down, he saw that, until reaching below his shoulders, a black blanket covered him, and a familiar mass of green hair was laid atop his head, resting on a pair of slender arms. "T-Tooru?" Kaneki stuttered as he slowly lifted himself up, not wanting to wake the young boy. Despite being a woman, she requested that she be treated as a man, so he abided by her request. _'Wait, where's Ginshi?'_ he wondered, looking around as he noticed the blonde's presence was not among them. _'More importantly, how did I wind up here?'_

"Finally awake, are we?"

Kaneki's eyes widened when the door opened to reveal a rather familiar looking man. After all, it was rather hard to forget someone you had just nearly killed... twice. "N-Nishio-senpai!" Kaneki cried out in relief. Unfortunately, this action caused Tooru to begin stirring from his sleep, evident by the small movements in his head. "S-Sasaki... senpai...?" he muttered sleepily as he lifted his head, rubbing his left eye to get rid of the gunk.

"You're friend's pretty dedicated." Nishiki grinned as he walked over to him, Ginshi following out from the door behind him. "He's been at your side since we brought you here."

"Eh?" Kaneki blinked, clearly not expecting that. In all honesty, he couldn't remember how he-

_**C-centipedes... crawling... in my ears...!**_

Memories snapped back into his head, a familiar pair of demonic tentacles resembling centipedes lashing around. "...What the hell did I do?" he muttered, rubbing his temples as he felt a dull pain from his head. "It's so fuzzy... I can't remember anything from after..."

"After you nearly killed me again?" Nishiki asked, earning a nod from his half-Ghoul friend. "Well, apparently, from what I understand, you went crazy with your Kakuja and took on two Top-Class Doves and three Second Class Doves, one of them being one of your subordinates, apparently, and I quote in the words of Ginshi-kun over here, 'A self-centered asshole with a stick rammed up his ass'."

Kaneki sweat-dropped, chuckling nervously. _'That's a pretty harsh way to describe Urie, Ginshi...'_ he thought before Nishiki continued. "And after that, CCG decided it was time to get rid of you, but looks like you got two loyal friends who risked their necks out for you." A smile spread across his face. "Seriously, you really a pain in the ass, no matter where you go, huh Kaneki?"

"H-hey..." Kaneki weakly tried to argue, scratching the back of his head. "Not my fault I'm cursed with bad luck."

"Kaneki?" Tooru repeated, tilting his head. Ginshi also looked confused as he looked at his teacher. "Is that a nickname of yours, Sas-san?"

"Er, no... that's my real name." Kaneki tried to explain to them the best that he could, despite the small gaps in his memory. "Haise Sasaki was just the name CCG gave me. My real name is Ken Kaneki. Nice to meet you all... again."

"So then..." the green-haired Quinx thought deeply, crossing his arms over his chest alongside Ginshi, though what they were thinking about was beyond him. "...Kaneki-senpai?"

"Ken-ken?"

Nishiki tried to stiffle his laughter, but was failing horribly. Kaneki sweat-dropped again, his eyebrow twitching, though it was mostly at Ginshi's attempt to make a new nickname for him. "You know, you can just stick with what you've been calling me up until now, okay?"

"Sounds easier." Ginshi agreed. "I mean, we've practically known you as Haise Sasaki for most of our lives, so..."

"Mm!" Tooru nodded his head, smiling in agreement.

"So..." the One-Eyed Ghoul said as he looked over at Nishiki, their faces turning serious. "What have I been missing the last two years?"

"After the battle in the 20th Ward, the whole group's been broken apart."

Nishiki informed the Quinx, who were new to the group, about what they had been doing before all of this, even about events that he had not been present for, such as the murders of Hinami's parents. He also brewed up some coffee for them to drink, handing out mugs as he explained the current situation.

"I haven't seen the manager around yet, but I'll take a guess and say he's not in Cochlea?" Nishiki asked as he handed a black mug to Kaneki.

The former Investigator nodded. "After the Owl Supression Task Force learned about the existence of both Yoshimura-san and the One-Eyed Owl, he was designated as the Non-Killing Owl. According to the reports that were delivered by Special Class Investigator Arima, the One-Eyed Owl devoured Yoshimura-san."

"Meaning, he's either dead or captured." Tooru said, following their conversation. "But, if it is the latter... what would Aogiri want with him?"

"Yoshimura-san is one of the only two SSS-Rated Ghouls on record. Aogiri must have some sort of interest in him. Either that, or the One-Eyed Owl wanted to rescue him and regurgitated him somewhere else."

'_Though I hardly doubt that's the case.'_ Kaneki added mentally.

"So, what about Banjou-san and his group?" he asked Nishiki.

Unfortunately, the man sighed. "I've got no idea. They've dropped off the radar. Either they're lying low, or they don't want to be found. Either way, they're missing, but I do know they're alive... to an extent." Kaneki sighed, at least happy to know Banjou and his friends were alright. Even still, he was slightly worried about what was happening in the world.

"Anyway," Nishiki continued. "Touka and Yomo are doing fine, they're actually working at a coffee shop in the 1st Ward, and it pretty much acts the same as Anteiku." Kaneki couldn't help but smile, both in nostalgia and in relief. "Oh, and Touka wanted me to tell you that she was going to kick your ass when she sees you."

Almost instantly, that relief suddenly turned to fear as Kaneki started to shake, his body trembling and his face sweating profusely. "W-what?!" he cried in panic, sinking into his seat. "Why?! What did I do?!"

"Oh, I dunno..." Nishiki said sarcastically, shrugging his shoulders. "Didn't tell us you were alive and kicking in the last two years? I mean, seriously, we heard you met CCG's Reaper. Speaking of which, how the hell did you survive? Last I heard, any Ghoul that met that scary son of a bitch winded up six feet under."

That was a question Kaneki had no answer to. His mind had been so fragile, so broken from the revelation that Uta, one of the people he had come to trust and see as a dear friend, had been the one to set him up. Uta had done this to him, he and whoever else was involved were the ones responsible for turning him into an artificial One-Eyed Ghoul. On one hand, he hated Uta, but at the same time, thankful. After all, if they hadn't dropped those steel beams atop Rize, then he would probably be eaten alive.

Even still...

"I don't know." Kaneki confessed, looking down into his mug. "The last thing I remember about that fight was Arima-san stabbing out both of my eyes. Everything after that is just a blank. The last thing I remember after that is waking up in CCG's medical ward..."

'_...as Haise Sasaki.'_

"Well, just give it some time." Nishiki advised as he took a swift drink of his coffee before continuing. "Tsukiyama as seen better days, that's really I can really put it. Ever since you left to stop all that fighting in the 20th Ward, he's been a helluva wreck. Hell, I don't think he even knows you're alive."

"I still don't get why you let someone creepy fucker like that join your group, Sas-san." Ginshi said, scowling. "I mean, didn't this bastard try to eat you while you were eating Nishiki-san's girlfriend like he wanted you to?"

"Hey, Tsukiyama isn't THAT bad a person!" Kaneki tried to argue for his friend's sanity and preferences.

He was met with intense stares and silence.

"...Okay, maybe he is a bit creepy, but he is trustworthy to an extent."

"Whatever." Nishiki sighed as he continued. "Anyway, don't ask me why, but his servant, Kanae or whatever the hell is name is, he really doesn't like you very much."

"Oh come on!" Kaneki complained, throwing his arms into the air. "What did I do to piss someone off this time?!"

"I don't know the full story, but from what I know from this chick named Chie..."

("Chie?" Ginshi whispered, his eyes narrowing as a hand came to his chin. "Wait, ain't she the chick that wanted Sas-san's underpants?")

"Kanae blames you for the Gourmet's current condition."

("Eh?!" Tooru's eyes widened, his cheeks burning red in embarrassment. "W-why would she want the underwear of someone she's never met?!")

Kaneki sighed. "So he hates me for making Tsukiyama for the way he is now..." he surmised, earning a nod. "Wonderful..."

("Beats the hell outta me!" Ginshi whispered back. "She said it was for her role model, or whoever the hell wanted it!")

"So... what about Hinami?"

At the mention of the name, Nishiki's body became cold, and the grip on his mug became tight like a vice.

"Nishio-senpai..." Kaneki pressed, anxiety beginning to grow alongside his fear. "What about Hinami-chan?"

There was still no answer. It was nothing but silence until Nishiki sighed heavily. "Hinami-chan... is a member of Aogiri Tree."

_**Hinami-chan... is a member of Aogiri Tree.**_

The words fell upon Kaneki like a sack of bricks, the weight hitting him full on. His eyes became wide, disbelief and shock washing over him. No... that... that was impossible. Hinami-chan was so sweet, she could never hurt a fly! There would be no way she would join Aogiri! There was just no way she would!

She would never...

"From what I know about the bastards I kicked the shit out of..." Nishiki continued, seeing Kaneki's obvious distress. "She's an executive, gathering information and using intelligence to benefit them. She's often working with Touka's shitty brother, Ayato."

'_Ayato...'_ Kaneki thought, his hands shaking as he shook his head. "God dammit..." he muttered, unable to believe the sudden revelation. _'Hinami-chan... why are you in Aogiri?'_

Ginshi and Tooru were beginning to grow uncomfortable with the worry and anxiety, along with the depression that their teacher was displaying, and decided to quickly change the topic. "So, uh, Nishiki-san..." Ginshi said nervously. "Do you know what Aogiri is up to right now?"

"No, unfortunately." Nishiki shook his head. "Although... I did hear from one of their members that apparently they're gonna be playing security detail."

At this, Tooru leaned in, interested. "Security detail?" he asked, curious.

Nishiki nodded. "A couple of weeks from now, there's gonna be an auction taking place. The one who runs the show is a Ghoul called Big Madam, and believe me, she's as sick as they come." The Bikaku Ghoul looked over at Kaneki. "As I understand it... Big Madam has lots of connections. Word on the street is that she has information that CCG wants, and I mean BAD."

Kaneki raised an eyebrow, looking up while wondering what sort of information this Ghoul has. Now that he thought about it, he had heard about her from Tsukiyama at one point in time, one of the ones that provided the Scrappers alongside Madam A. Perhaps the two had a connection?

He momentarily thought back to Hinami. When he thought about it, perhaps it was for the best. Sure, CCG was their enemy, but if Hinami was with someone as strong as Ayato, especially considering his classification now, the chances of her being hurt were low. _'All I can really do is hope she is okay...'_ he thought sadly.

"...Do you know how we can get into the auction?" Kaneki finally asked, looking at his friend straight in the eye.

Nishiki smiled, seeing the burning resolve he had long thought forgotten in his left eye. "Well, naturally, like any high-class guest, you're gonna need an invitation from the ones running the show, but if you're working with Big Madam's handyman, then that's another story."

"Her handyman?" Ginshi asked curiously. Nishiki nodded. "Nutcracker. She helps select the items that they're selling off. Basically, she runs a human trafficking business, finding the humans that seem the most entertaining or delectable to Ghouls."

"Wait, Nutcracker?" Kaneki frowned almost instantly when he heard the name, a hand coming to his chin as he tried to recall the information hidden away in his head. "I think I recall that name before in an ongoing Investigation report... If I remember right, she earned that particular nickname by crushing her prey's testicles and then drinking the fluids."

"HUH?!" Ginshi cried in shock, his hands instantly moving to his nether regions. Tooru looked vastly disturbed this information, looking a bit green in the face while Nishiki looked amused at their reactions. "Lively bunch, aren't you?"

"If we can get Nutcracker to get us a job inside the auction..." Kaneki said, clasping his hands together as he put his coffee mug down. "...we can get close to Big Madam. If what you're saying is true, then she has access to information that CCG obviously wants, probably related to Aogiri and maybe even the One-Eyed Owl."

"Sounds about right." Nishiki nodded in agreement before smiling. "So, I take it we're busting in?"

Kaneki nodded before a thought came to him. "Well, before that... there's someplace I want to visit."

Nishiki wondered when he was going ask. "Where's the coffee shop that Touka-chan and Yomo-san run?"

-Chapter END (6) Welcome Home-

**-Ken Kaneki's Group (re-established)-**

**Members: Ken Kaneki (Leader), Nishiki Nishio, Ginshi Shirazu, Tooru Mutsuki**


	8. Auction Arc: Chapter I

_The Commission of Counter Ghoul... an organization founded by the mercenary clan known as the Wasshu. As the name implies, Commission of Counter Ghoul, also known as CCG, has had but one goal since it was created._

_The complete __**extermination**__ of all the Ghouls in Tokyo._

**Tokyo Ghoul:reBIRTH**

"The hell kind of a name is :re?" was the first thing Ginshi asked upon arriving at the coffee shop.

Kaneki was stunned as he admired the exterior, from the simplicity down to the last detail. _'Its just like Anteiku...'_ he thought in amazement. _'Then again, Touka and Yomo are the ones running it.'_

"I don't know who came up with the name, but it stands for a lot of things." Nishiki informed them as he opened the door, a bell ringing to signify the entrance of a customer. "Among them is memories."

Kaneki smiled at that, knowing what sort of memories the name :re wanted to represent. Ginshi and Tooru still looked confused, but followed their teacher and savior inside. The interior was more or less just like Anteiku, having a more refined and calming tone. Small lamps hung from the ceiling, sofas and small stools located here and there to provide comfort to specific guests for seating preferences, a wooden counter with bound stools at the very front. Next it was a bookcase lined with several books, a few of them Kaneki recognized as Sen Takatsuki's works.

"Oi, Yomo." Nishiki greeted from the front as he closed the door behind him. "I brought the rugrats."

"Hey!" Ginshi shouted indignantly, much to Kaneki's amusement. "Who the hell are you calling a rugrat?!"

Kaneki had to stifle a laugh as Ginshi and Nishiki glared at one another, sparks flying as they continued to give each other a heated look. "So..." Tooru asked nervously, looking at the man who was working behind the counter. "That's Mr. Yomo?"

Yomo was a rather tall individual, bearing a small light goatee, and more often than not, was usually wearing a black coat. His hair was like Kaneki's, colored white, spreading out the bangs from the middle and outward. Now, however, he wore a plain white-buttoned shirt and black slacks. Kaneki nodded for confirmation. "Mm. That's him."

"Kaneki-kun." Yomo greeted, nodding his head with one of his rare smiles. "Long time no see."

"That's a hell of an understatement." Kaneki chuckled, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.

"So, is the shitty brat working right now?" Nishiki asked, turning away from his glaring contest with Ginshi. The answer he received was not verbal, but more accurately, a flying pan that slammed straight into his face, causing him to recoil back. "OW! MOTHERF-!"

"Oi, shitty Nishiki!" Kaneki's body froze as he heard the sound of angry footsteps trudge toward them, turning his head slightly. Almost instantly, he felt his breathe become hitched. "Who the hell are you calling a shitty brat?!"

Touka was, for a lack of better words, _absolutely beautiful._

Two years had not changed her attitude in the least, but her appearance had, if only slightly. She obviously had gotten taller, her skin looking as beautiful as it had been since the first time he set foot in Anteiku with Hide all those years ago, and her hair had reverted back to it's usual style, dyed a light shade of blue with hints of white.

"That fucking hurt!" Nishiki growled, grinding his teeth together harshly. "What the hell was that for?!"

"For taking your time, dumbass!" Touka shot back hotly. "Seriously, did you decide to take a piss break on the way... here..."

She trailed off when she saw Kaneki, her eyes widening to the point where they seemed to bulge, her anger seemingly deflating. Kaneki just couldn't take his eyes off of her. He knew she was beautiful, but her hot temper could take your attention away like that. Now, however, after having been so used to it... he hadn't realized just how beautiful she was.

"K-Kaneki-kun..." Touka breathed, unable to believe what she was seeing. Even though Nishiki had told her that he had come back, she hadn't fully believed him until now. Her legs started to move long before she realized it, walking toward Kaneki.

"H-hey, Nishiki-san!" Ginshi whispered, bringing himself up on his toes and grabbing the man's shoulder to gain his attention. "Are those two... you know...!"

"Dunno." Nishiki shrugged in response. "In all honesty, those two confuse the hell out of me. Though, with the way those two act around each other... It's a wonder how they've yet to tell each other how they feel."

"T-Touka..." Kaneki finally breathed out. "H-hey... er..."

'_C'mon, Kaneki! Think!'_ a chibi version of him shouted in his head, pounding away at his skull alongside what appeared to be his black-haired self. _'Ask her how's she been! What has she been doing all this time! Don't you dare say, "Hey, how's it going?" You'll know what she'll do if you do!'_

Before Kaneki could form some sort of greeting or reply, the girl stunned him by wrapping her arms around his neck.

Almost immediately, Ginshi and Tooru spun around, their backs facing the group, and their voices in hushed whispers. "Dude, they totally are!" Ginshi said excitedly. "And damn, that Touka is a babe! Sas-san totally freaking scored!"

"G-Ginshi-kun!" Tooru's face brightened up with a light shade of red. "W-we shouldn't be talking about this! I mean, what if they overhear?!"

"Oh come on!" the blonde haired teen assured him. "They can't hear us. Unless, of course, you're just jealous..."

"W-what do you mean by that?" the poor girl-er, boy, stuttered. Ginshi's grin unsettled him a great deal.

"Oh, come on, Tooru-chan!" Ginshi waved his hand around. "I know you wanna be treated like a guy and all, but can you really resist those womanly urges? Don't tell you feel nothing for Sas-san?"

If at all possible, Tooru's face became even redder, steam beginning to pour out of her head. "N-no, that's not! Well, m-maybe, b-but they're...!"

Nishiki sighed, shaking his head. _'How did Kaneki get stuck with these idiots?'_ he couldn't help but wonder. Similar to the Quinx's, the hearing of a Ghoul was just as better, if not more so. _'...Wait, did Ginshi just say that Mutsuki wanted to be treated as a boy?!'_ Doing a complete double take, looking back at Tooru. He hadn't noticed it, but there were the obvious signs, from the smooth looking skin to the round, feminine face to the oddly toned voice. _'I've heard of tomboys, but that's a new one, even for me...'_

"You're back..." Touka said, her face buried in his shoulder as her grip around his neck tightened. "You're really..."

"Y-yeah..." Kaneki said as he struggled to breath somewhat. Her grip was as strong as ever, but... couldn't she loosen it up just a little. "It... took me a while..."

The grip became tighter.

"Uh... Touka...?" Kaneki wheezed out, feeling circulation in his neck beginning to. "C-could you... loosen up a bit... I can't..."

The grip became tighter.

"I-I'm serious, I can't..." Kaneki's face starting to turn blue. "B-breathe..."

_Crack._

"Y-YEOWCH!"

"Ouch..." Nishiki winced, hearing the familiar sound of a bone breaking. "That had to hurt..."

* * *

"Stupid!"

_Whack._

"Inconsiderate!"

_Whack._

"Idiotic!"

_Whack._

"Motherfucking!"

_Whack._

"Piece of shit!"

_Whack._

"JERK!"

_Whack._

"OW!" Kaneki yelped, rubbing the large lump on his head with anime-style tears flowing down his face, his body placed in a semi-fetal position with his hands on his head while Touka stood above him with a cross face, her arms crossed and a scowl marring her beautiful lips. "Okay, I get it! I'm a jerk and a moron! Just PLEASE, stop hitting me!"

"Do you have any idea how worried I was!" Touka screamed at him, her face red with rage. "Seriously, of all the stupid stunts you could pull...!"

"W-wow..." Ginshi sweat-dropped as he, Tooru, Nishiki, and Yomo sat at a nearby table, watching the spectacle unfold while drinking some coffee. "She's got one hell of a temper, doesn't she?"

"You would probably act that way too if you thought one of your friends died and then learned they were alive for two years." Nishiki said nonchalantly as he took a sip of his coffee. "I warned him Touka was gonna kick the crap out of him. So," he looked at Yomo. "how long do you think this will go on?"

"Probably three minutes or so." Yomo shrugged his shoulders. "So, these are the Quinx?"

"Y-yes, sir!" Tooru said a bit loudly, feeling rather nervous, especially with the way Yomo was looking at them. He honestly couldn't tell if the man was constantly glaring at them, or that was just how he looked. "T-Tooru Mutsuki, formerly a Third Class Investigator!"

"Heh." Yomo chuckled, much to her surprise. "No need to be so uptight." he told him as he outstretched his hand. "Renji Yomo. A pleasure."

Tooru took his hand into his. _'His hands are big...'_ he noted, comparing his to Yomo's. Ginshi grinned as he shook hands with the man as well. "Ginshi Shirazu, nice to meet ya. So, what was Sas-san like back when he was Kaneki and all that?"

Yomo raised an eyebrow, looking at Nishiki. "I only gave them the short version." the Bikaku Ghoul said. "But, I didn't just bring him here to get his ass kicked by Touka." His face then hardened, becoming serious. "Do you know when Nutcracker will be showing up?"

At the mention of the Ghoul, Yomo crossed his arms, closing his eyes, showing he was deep in thought. "Kaneki... he's planning on getting to Big Madam, isn't he?"

Nishiki nodded. "She has info that CCG wants, and chances are, she might even know what happened to Yoshimura."

Yoshimura's eyes widened slightly. "He wasn't killed?" he asked, his eyes showing hope and relief.

"No, according to the reports that Kaneki read back when he was with CCG, the One-Eyed Owl swallowed him whole. Chances are, he's probably being held with Aogiri." Nishiki's face darkened. "And since we busted Rize out, I'd bet they're using him to farm Kakuho's."

Yomo's face darkened. It wasn't hard to imagine that scenario, but it was also raising questions as to why Kanou wanted to create artificial Ghouls in the first place. If what Nishiki was saying was true, then it worried him greatly. Yoshimura was powerful; he would have to be if he took on the guise as the One-Eyed Owl. If Kanou was creating artificial One-Eyed Ghouls with Yoshimura's Kagune...

He immediately stopped that line of thinking. He really didn't want to imagine what Aogiri Tree could do with individuals such as that. Especially if they were to inherit his Kakuja.

"You think Big Madam might know where the manager is." Yomo guessed. Nishiki nodded. "And to get to her, you plan on using Nutcracker."

"She's known to grab people of special interest. The only real problem is if we can get to them in time before they're auctioned off."

Yomo nodded his head in agreement. There were several kinks, so they had to figure them out accordingly to ensure the plan would work. Of course, he was also worried about another factor: Nutcracker herself.

"Nishiki..." Yomo said slowly, looking at the Ghoul in the eyes. "You know how dangerous this woman is, right?"

"Yeah, I do." Nishiki nodded. "And I've also heard the rumors about her too. That's why we have to plan this thing just right, otherwise we're screwed. That, and we have to act fast. CCG is probably already trying to find out how to get at Big Madam, and chances are they know Nutcracker works for her."

Yomo was silent for a while, but then later sighed. "You've gotten yourself one hell of a job, Nishiki."

"Tell me something I don't already know." he snorted as he stood up, placing a few bills and coins on the table. "Thanks for the coffee."

"Hn."

Tooru and Ginshi paid for their drinks as well, following Nishiki out the door. Touka had also ceased berating Kaneki as well, turning around sharply and giving him a 'hmph'. "I see you're hit is as strong as ever..." Kaneki groaned, rubbing his still-sore head. "Well, I better get going..."

Before he could turn to leave though, he heard Touka cry out for him. "Wait!"

Kaneki frowned, looking back at her to see her running over to the counter, ducking underneath it. He heard the sound of cupboards opening and some shuffling of items before she stood back up, carrying something in her hand.

His eyes widened as she handed it to him. It was a familiar black leather mask, covering the lower half of his face and the large majority of his neck, having false teeth and lipless gums, a zipper between the white bones. Silver bolts were sticking out from the neck, giving it a Frankenstein theme motif.

It was his mask, the same one he had worn so many times before. Uta had crafted it for him, modeling it after his personal preferences and circumstances. The reason it had a Frankenstein theme was to represent his situation back then, still trying to cope with him being a human turned Ghoul, however there was one detail missing.

"I couldn't find the eyepatch part of it." Touka said as she gave it back to him. "Sorry."

"No, its fine." he shook his head. He no longer needed the eyepatch anymore. The eyepatch covered his right eye rather than his left, the reason being that Uta wanted to see the world through the eye of the Ghoul that Kaneki had become, rather than the world of the human that Kaneki wished to remain as. He no longer had a need for that anymore.

Now, he wanted to see the world as he wanted to see it now: to see the world through the eyes of both a human and a Ghoul. "Thank you, Touka-chan." Kaneki said, smiling as he placed the mask in his pocket and turned to leave.

"Kaneki-kun." Yomo's voice stopped him, making him turn to see the man smiling again. Two smiles in one day? Hell must have been freezing over. "If you ever need any help, let us know. You're not alone in this... not anymore."

"I know."

"And... Kaneki-kun..." Touka fidgeted, looking sure of what to say before she just decided to screw it, took a deep breath, and gave what was probably the most beautiful smile he had ever seen. "Welcome home."

For the first time in his life since two years ago, Kaneki felt a smile that he had only shown around Hide to finally appear, rising from the depths. "It's good to be home."

-Chapter END (7) Reunion-

**-Ken Kaneki's Group (re-established)**

**Members: Ken Kaneki (Leader), Nishiki Nishio, Ginshi Shirazu, Tooru Mutsuki**

**-:re-**

**Members: Touka Kirishima, Renji Yomo**


	9. Auction Arc: Chapter II

**Tokyo Ghoul:reBIRTH**

"Torso."

Saeki bowed his head out of respect, looking at the woman in front of him. She was quite young, perhaps no older than seventeen or eighteen, brown hair cut at the chin. Her body was quite slim and petite, a large majority of it covered by the signature cloak. "Master Yotsume." he greeted.

Hinami Fueguchi, also known as Master Yotsume, is a member of Aogiri. No, she was far more than that, she was one of their Executives, subordinates that lead the grunts under orders from the higher ups, the Top Executives, the direct subordinates to the mysterious One-Eyed King. He didn't know much about her, other than she was tasked with collecting information and using it to their advantage. He was also aware that she was among the rare individuals with a dual Kagune, thus making her extremely deadly.

"I heard." Hinami said, her voice poised, calm, and collected. "CCG saw your face, and discovered the data?"

"Y-yes..." Saeki lowered his head. "Forgive me, Master Yotsume..."

"No, don't worry about it." the girl shook her head. "We've already gathered the data we need. It is better if you stay with Aogiri. You will be safer here."

"Understood."

Hinami took her leave, going off somewhere else while he was left alone to his own devices, sighing tiredly as he leaned against a wall, sliding down all the way to his rear end. _'I'm glad I was able to help that girl, at the very least...'_ he thought, smiling slightly.

When he saw how Tooru and that blonde boy had literally attacked their superiors (Well, it was more like the blonde attacked them, but that's being technical!) and fled with that Kakuja Ghoul, he was quite surprised. There were several thoughts running around his head at that time, mostly centered on Tooru.

She seemed to be quite attached to that Kakuja Ghoul, but then again, if the data they collected meant anything, it was clear that he was someone important, their teacher. The Quinx were humans implanted with Quinques, but Haise Sasaki was a Ghoul, a One-Eyed at that. He also seemed to be quite powerful, far more so than him. If he remembered right, they designated him as an SS-Rated.

'_Why was CCG keeping a Ghoul in the first place?'_ Saeki couldn't help but wonder. _'And why make him into an Investigator?'_

"Oi, Saeki."

His body froze, and his blood went cold. Slowly, he looked up from his thoughts to see a young man standing in front of him, his dark blue hair messy with a pair of cold, dangerous eyes. He was dressed in a dark winter hoodie, worn out jeans, and black combat boots. Hanging around his neck by the cord was a black mask in the shape of a rabbit.

"A-Ayato-sama!" Saeki bolted upright, bowing deeply.

Ayato Kirishima, another Executive like Hinami Fueguchi. They were partners, actually, and from what he heard, they were a very deadly combo. Ayato was among the more brutal and vicious members of Aogiri, or at least, so he had heard. He had slaughtered countless Investigators, soon rising into the ranks of an S-Rated. However, his temperament these days he was more calm, more collected. However, that still did not change the fact that someone like him could tear Saeki apart in mere seconds.

"Hinami said you encountered the leader, right?" the young man asked. Saeki nodded quickly. "Was his name... Sasaki?"

"I... believe so..." he hesitated. "I was a bit far away, so I couldn't quite hear most of it. Although... I doubt he and CCG are on good terms right now..."

This caught Ayato's attention, evident by the narrowed eyes and the raised eyebrow. "What do you mean by that?" he asked, taking a step forward. Saeki nearly lost his composure. Pissing off someone like him was probably the last thing you wanted to do. "Your report stated that he fought with Serpent and nearly killed him."

"Y-yes, but I forgot to add something else..." Saeki swallowed the lump in his throat. He had been so preoccupied with his thoughts on the girl that he had only included in the report that the Kakuja Ghoul had damn near killed Serpent until something happened to make him go psycho. "After Serpent escaped, the doves looked like they tried to eliminate him after he lost control of his Kagune."

"Lost control?" Ayato frowned, crossing his arms. "Well... there are cases when the Ghoul can't control it due to their mental state."

"It's likely that Serpent said something to him to make him lose control, using it to his advantage to escape." a familiar voice, belonging to Hinami, said as she walked into the room, a few other members of Aogiri entering as well, carrying pieces of equipment. "Did anything else happen?"

"H-hai, Master Yotsume." Saeki nodded. "After it looked like he was killed, or w-whatever... He got back up and attacked the Investigators with... a Kakuja, I think."

The lesser members of Aogiri, after they had set up the equipment, stopped in their tracks to listen in, intrigued by this conversation. Hinami's eyes narrowed, and Saeki could swear he saw a dangerous glint pass right through Ayato's eyes. "A Kakuja?"

"If that is true..." Hinami furrowed her brow, a hand coming to her chin. "Then Haise Sasaki can easily be classified as an SS-Rated. Do you recall the shape?"

"Rather hard to forget..." Saeki muttered, shuddering. "He was acting crazy, mumbling about a thousand minus seven..."

'_Yamori's torture method.'_ Ayato thought, the gears beginning to click in his head.

"He had a mask that covered about half of his face, and his Kakuja... it looked like a pair of demonic centipedes!"

There were mixed reactions, visibly only to the two Executives. Hinami's eyes widened, a gasp audibly escaping her while Saeki unconsciously took a step back when he saw the feral-like grin on Ayato's face.

"Heh... Well, I'll be damned." the male Executive chuckled. "Congratulations, Saeki, you just earned yourself a promotion."

"Er... Not that I am ungrateful for it, but why am I getting a promotion?"

"Do you have a problem?"

"N-no, Ayato-sama!" Saeki quickly shook his head. "P-pardon me for speaking out of turn, but... d-do you know this Sasaki Ghoul?"

"I should." Ayato snorted. "He was the bastard that broke several of my bones and left me half dead."

Saeki's eyes widened to the point where they seemed like they would pop out. That guy had managed to nearly kill Ayato?! Just who in the hell was this guy?!

"To think he was alive all this time..." Ayato grinned further as he looked at Hinami, who was still startled. "I bet you must be happy, Hinami." Even Master Yotsume knew this Ghoul? Was he some former big time Executive, or someone that was very well known by Aogiri? "Since you told us, I suppose I better let you know... He's the only Ghoul that ever survived a fight against Kishou Arima."

"A-A-A-A-A-A-ARIMA?!" Saeki cried out, sweat falling from his face, and the color draining from his skin. Kishou Arima, a man that all Ghouls considered to be death incarnate. Any that dared to face this demon would soon pay for their arrogance with their lives. Some had not thought him to be human, a Ghoul that hunted down other Ghouls, but no one truly knew anything about him.

All they knew is that any that fight the one known as CCG's Reaper will not live to tell the tale.

"He fought against someone like THAT?!" Saeki stuttered, feeling rather terrified. Once again, he was glad he was dealing with those brats rather than someone like Haise Sasaki.

"I don't know why he was with CCG, but it seems that now, he's decided to cut his leash." Ayato stated. "I was wondering what happened to the bastard."

"J-just who in the hell is this guy?"

"Oh?" Ayato cackled, throwing his head back. "You really wanna know? Alright, then let me ask you something, Saeki..." The young man walked over, placing a hand on the older Ghoul's shoulder, and leaned in, whispering in his ear.

"You ever hear... of the _Mukade_ (Centipede)?"

-Chapter END (8) Backstage-

**-Ken Kaneki's Group (re-established)-**

**Members: Ken Kaneki (Leader), Nishiki Nishio, Ginshi Shirazu, Tooru Mutsuki**

**-:re-**

**Members: Touka Kirishima, Renji Yomo**

**-Aogiri Tree-**

**Members: (Leader) One-Eyed King, (Top Executives) Tatara, Noro, (Executives) Naki, Eto, Hinami Fueguchi, Ayato Kirishima, (Others) Akihiko Kanou, Matasaka Kamishiro/Orca**


	10. Auction Arc: Chapter III

**Tokyo Ghoul:reBIRTH**

"The Auction is coming up at the end of the month, so we've got plenty of time to prepare." Nishiki said, looking over some plans that were laid out on the table. "Nutcracker usually frequents a small bar in the 12th Ward, that's where she finds her items."

Kaneki looked over the plans. The plan was rather simple, they would try to get Nutcracker to accept their help, as a sort of part-timer and the sort, and infiltrate the auction that way. Of course, it wouldn't always be simple, as Nutcracker seemed to be very picky, gathering subjects that the auctioneers would find interesting.

"So, how do we get at her?" Ginshi asked, scratching the back of his head. "Just waltz right up and say, 'Hey, lady! We want a job working at the auction! Can you set us up?'"

"I wish it were that simple." Nishiki sighed, shaking his head. "Like I told you earlier, she's very picky, that and she tries to stick with the list of preferences of those that frequent the auction partake in. Believe me, that's a hell of a list."

"So..." Tooru's shoulders slumped, sighing himself. "We have no idea how to get her to bring us to the auction."

"Maybe if we could gather information on what Nutcracker is after, then maybe we can find a way to have her sneak us in." Kaneki suggested, a hand at his chin. "Nishio-senpai, you said that she follows a list of preferences, right?" The Bikaku Ghoul nodded. "Do you know any of the preferable items that are on the list?"

"No." Nishiki replied. "But, I _do_ hear they sell Ghouls every now and then, but only as muscles for higher, like slaves and whatnot."

"And if the item being sold is a One-Eyed Ghoul?" Kaneki inquired further, earning confused looks from the Quinx.

Nishiki was silent for a while. "...I imagine they'd be fighting tooth and nail for one of them."

"Are One-Eyed Ghouls really that rare?" Tooru asked, tilting her head in confusion. She understood that One-Eyes were hybrids between humans and Ghouls, and that they were far stronger, hell the One-Eyed Owl was proof of that, having killed several Special Class and Associate Special Class Investigators.

"The only One-Eyed Ghouls I know about are Kaneki, that Owl bastard, and those twins that Kaneki ran into two years back." Nishiki answered. "Though, as far as I know, the Owl is the only natural born One-Eyed Ghoul. Kaneki and the twins are artificial."

"So, wouldn't we count as One-Eyes or something?" Ginshi offered. "I mean, we only got one Kakugan, and we've got Kakuho's in us."

"True, but you have Quinque cases." Kaneki reminded them. "I'd say you guys are more like pseudo-One-Eyed Ghouls. Although, because of the single Kakugan, you'd definitely pass for one."

"Well, One-Eyes are certainly eye-catching (no pun intended) and delicious, from what I know." Nishiki shrugged. "Nutcracker would definitely pick those up, list or no list. Still, we can't just rely on that."

"True..." the former Investigator hummed in agreement before he recalled. "Actually... Ginshi, didn't you manage to gather information on Torso with Urie?"

"Eh?" Said Ukaku Quinque user blinked in confusion, wondering why he was asking about something like that before answering. "Yeah...?"

"How did you get that information?"

"From some chick named Chie." Ginshi told him. "Though, she wanted something weird in exchange for it."

"You mean my underwear?"

"EH?!" Ginshi's eyes widened, leaping back with his arms in a strange pose. "H-HOW'D YOU KNOW?!"

"Never underestimate a Ghoul's sense of hearing." Kaneki grinned. "So, did she say why she wanted my underwear?"

"Damned if I know. Something about getting her role model back into shape."

Kaneki frowned, crossing his arms over his chest as he tried to think. Obviously, Chie had quite a bit of information, that much was obvious if she had info that CCG didn't on Torso. It also appeared that she and the servant of Tsukiyama, Kanae if he recalled, seem to know each other. Still, why would you give underwear to your role model so that he could back into shape? Actually, now that he thought about it, he felt as if he's heard of this girl before. Her information was...

Kaneki's eyes widened at the realization. Nishiki also appeared to have figured it out, as he let out an audible groan and slapped his hand over his forehead, dragging it down his face. "Oh, you have GOT to be shitting me..."

"Well, I'm glad to know Tsukiyama-san is doing well..." Kaneki sweat-dropped, chuckling nervously as he scratched his cheek. "Not sure how I feel about him sniffing my underpants though..."

"Wait, you know who that girl's role model is?" Tooru asked in surprise.

Kaneki nodded. "If it is who I think it is... Well, let's just say I think we've found how to get inside the auction."

* * *

The cafe was rather plain and moderate, in comparison to :re or Anteiku. There were a few lamps hanging from the ceiling, several square tables with chairs surrounding them. Small thin walls stood between a few of them, in order to provide the guests with privacy.

"Ohayo, Investigators!" a cheerful voice exclaimed nearby. The group turned to see a tomboy hanging around near one of the tables at the window, bearing brown hair and eyes with a camera hanging around her neck. "Come for more info?"

"Yo, Chie." Ginshi greeted, grinning as they walked over to their table. "Thanks for the scoop on Torso from the other day."

"Eh, don't worry about it." Chie assured him, waving her hand about before noticing the others' presences. "Oh, brought some friends?"

"Tooru Mutsuki." the eyepatch Quinx greeted, bowing his head. "Very nice to meet you, Chie-san."

"Heh, polite, aren't you?" the tomboy grinned as she snapped a shot of Tooru, much to his surprise. "Ooh, nice~"

"Yo, brat." Nishiki greeted, earning a mock glare from Chie.

"Nice to see you too, snake boy."

Kaneki raised an eyebrow. "Snake boy?" he muttered before offering her his hand. "Ken Kaneki, formerly First Class Investigator Haise Sasaki."

Chie's eyes widened, looking at him, then back at his hand, and then back at him before smiling, her hand clasping around his. "Chie! It's nice to finally meet you, Kaneki-san!" she stated as she let go of it. Finally the group took their seats, making their orders when the waiter came by. "So, to what do I owe the pleasure, o great _Mukade_-sama?"

"Mukade?" Ginshi frowned. "Isn't that centipede?"

"Yeah." Nishiki confirmed. "It's the nickname CCG gave Kaneki when they encountered him with his Kakuja."

"We need information." Kaneki didn't bother to beat around the bush and went straight to the point, placing one arm on the table as he leaned in. "Specifically, the items of preference that Nutcracker wants for this month's auction."

"Nutcracker, huh?" Chie hummed as she began to clean the lens of her camera. "I know quite a bit about her. She's supposed to be Big Madam's right hand girl, gets what she needs, and then sells them off. Strangely, though, Big Madam also participates in the auctions."

"The woman who runs the auctions participates in them?" Tooru frowned. "Why?"

"Technically, she doesn't run the auctions." Chie corrected him. "Big Madam runs a Ghoul Restaurant, much like my role model in the past. Some of the poor guys she wants to serve up are among the items that Nutcracker gets."

"And what is she after this time?" Nishiki asked.

"Let's see..." The tomboy turned away from her camera, digging into the backpack sitting next to her. She rummaged around in it before she produced a slip of paper. "This month, Big Madam wants an actor, a chef, a serial killer, a masochist, lord knows why, a cute girl, and finally, a doll like girl."

"...A serial killer?" Ginshi deadpanned alongside Nishiki. "Seriously?"

Chie shrugged her shoulders. "Hey, don't look at me like I've got all the answers. I just know what she is after."

"Okay then..." Kaneki closed his eyes. "These biddings... depending on who is being sold off, how much money is usually bid on average."

"Usually around 1 million."

Ginshi and Tooru's eyes widened. "A million?!" the blonde Quinx shouted.

"Holy crap...!" Tooru gawked, unable to believe that Ghouls would pay so much for a single individual.

"Alright then... If a One-Eyed Ghoul was being sold off, how much would the bidding go?"

"At best?" Chie giggled. "Probably at ten million." Ginshi and Tooru's jaws dropped further, while Nishiki choked on his coffee. "I take it that's all?"

"Yeah." Kaneki nodded as he stood up, placing money for the coffee on the table. "Thank you for the info. So, what exactly is it you want in exchange? Last time when Ginshi and Urie asked you about Torso, you wanted my underwear in exchange."

Chie didn't answer. Instead she just stood up, walked over to him, and draped her arm around his shoulder, pulling him down to her height.

_Snap._

"I think this will do!" Chie grinned while Kaneki blinked, rubbing his eyes to try and get the light from the camera's shutter out of his eyes. "Thank you for your patronage! Come again~"

Nishiki sighed, shaking his head as he and the Quinx left the table, heading towards the door. "Weird woman..." he muttered under his breath. "Oi, Kaneki. Come on, let's go."

"Y-yeah." Kaneki nodded, finally getting rid of the spots in his eyes. Just as he was about to follow after them, he stopped in his tracks and turned back to Chie. "Hey, Chie-san."

"Hm?"

"Can you do something for me?"

"Depends." Chie shrugged. Kaneki leaned in, whispering something in her ear before turning to leave. "Please pass that on to Tsukiyama-san."

Chie grinned mischievously as she bid Kaneki farewell. Once leaving the store, the former Investigator caught up with his friends. "What took ya, Sas-san?" Ginshi asked. "Did ya forget to give the guys back there a tip?"

"No, just a small mishap is all." Kaneki answered. Ginshi raised an eyebrow, but relented. "Thanks to Chie-san, we now have info on what Nutcracker is after."

"Kind of a weird list if you ask me." Nishiki said. "Though, considering this is Big Madam we're talking about, I'm not surprised."

"So, how exactly are we going to get to Nutcracker?" Tooru asked. "Do you have a plan, Sasaki-senpai?"

"Indeed I do." Kaneki smiled, gaining a small bounce in his step.

"Really?" Nishiki said, surprised that Kaneki already had a plan formed. "So, what's the plan?"

"Simple, Nishio-senpai!" Kaneki's smile became a grin. "We become girls!"

That comment alone caused Nishiki, Ginshi, and Tooru to stop in their tracks, their faces mirroring one another in the form of plain disbelief, and a collective statement.

"...Huh?"

* * *

Chie couldn't help but whistle a small tune as she entered the small apartment she had rented near Kamii University, heading for the small room she had in her living quarters in the building. Because of her hobby, she needed a small working space to produce her photos.

The room was completely red, strings hung all over the place with photographs of various scenes and people hanging on said strings, bound to the walls via thumbtacks. Chie already went to work, trying to produce the pictures in her camera and placing the papers containing the images in the baths. It was a rather long, yet simple process.

Even still, she couldn't wait to show her role model this. She could literally just imagine him jumping around in joy and screaming his head off before running out of his house to find his precious Kaneki. The message she was asked to deliver to him would also be a large factor. The only problem in this grand master plan was Kanae, but she could deal with him somehow. Besides, he was probably busy trying to find an excellent dish to serve to Tsukiyama in hopes to bring him out of his mourning and to forget Kaneki.

"Heehee...!" Chie giggled like a madman once the faint lines of the picture were beginning to form, showing a confused and startled Kaneki and Chie standing next to each other, her arm draped around his neck, and a large grin on her face. "Man, you are just gonna love this, Tsukiyama-chan~"

Elsewhere, a man sitting in his bed suddenly sneezed violently, nearly throwing himself out of his bed. "Am I... catching a cold?"

-Chapter END (9) Encounter-


	11. Auction Arc: Chapter IV

**Tokyo Ghoul:reBIRTH**

"Chie."

The tomboy could only grin as she watched the ever so faithful servant of Shuu Tsukiyama leave the house, adorned in what looked like mourning clothes. Chie had always wondered what exactly why Kanae preferred those clothes, but then wondered if it was because of Tsukiyama's current disposition.

Kanae was a rather effeminate young man, hell one could mistake him for Tsukiyama at first glance, his purple hair styled and the bangs reaching to cover his right side. He was a powerful Ghoul himself, bearing a Rikaku and using it in the same manner as Tsukiyama, wrapping around his arm and forming into a blade. Rather useful, but like all Rikaku, it was so easy to break.

"Going out on a hunt?" Chie asked as the servant walked past him. The man nodded somberly. "I know that look... Lemme guess, he isn't any better?"

"Of course he isn't." Kanae spat harshly. "Two years is hardly enough for Master Shuu to recover after his loss."

"Meh, whatever." the tomboy shrugged. "Have fun with your hunt. Watch out for doves~"

"Hmph."

Kanae left without a word after that. It was hardly a secret that Kanae didn't like Chie all that much, even if she was Tsukiyama's friend, or as he puts it, his "pet". It also did not help matters with the fact that she was trying her best to get Tsukiyama back to the way he was when he met Kaneki. Kanae would never allow that, considering he believed it was because of Kaneki that Tsukiyama was in his current condition.

Shaking her head, Chie entered the Tsukiyama mansion, which was absolutely beautiful. It was like a down-scaled castle, the front entrance could literally be seen as part of a castle of any Disney movie! The interior was not so bad either, the walls painted royal red with several paintings depicting various scenes, some involving Tsukiyama's family.

However, the first painting one could see was one that Tsukiyama had cherished. It was giant, taking up a large portion of the wall at the top of the staircase, as it was meant to be the first one scene. It showed a figure with white hair and clothing, their face barely seen, and his only visible eye burning red as if it were in darkness. All around him were red tendrils, looking for prey to hunt. Curled around his entire being was a black centipede, easily reaching from the ground up to his face, staring back at whoever was looking at the painting.

Tsukiyama said it was his greatest masterpiece, and Chie had to agree.

Walking up the humongous staircase, Chie made her way to the master bedroom, where Tsukiyama was. When she entered, he was still in his bed, a small blanket covering most of him, even hiding away his face. "...Who's there?" her role model asked, albeit rather weakly.

He wouldn't sound like that when she was through with him.

"Yo, Tsukiyama-chan!" Chie greeted as loudly as possible, making the man cringe slightly. "How's my role model this fine evening?!"

"Chie, my pet..." Tsukiyama sighed. "Must you yell?"

"Heehee, sorry." the tomboy apologized. "I'm just excited is all! So, where's Kanae going this time?"

"The 13th Ward." the Gourmet answered. "However, I doubt he will find a suitable dish."

"You have a point. Oh, by the way, guess what? I met with Snake Boy and a few Investigators! Well, former Investigators, actually, but that's beside the point!"

Tsukiyama lifted his head up slightly, interested somewhat. He knew she was referring to Nishiki Nishio, the S-Rated Ghoul that had been causing so much trouble for Aogiri. He had to admit, he never thought the fool would go to such lengths, but then again, he was a fool. "Oh?"

"Yep!" Chie nodded enthusiastically. "They're going after Big Madam!"

"...Heh, in that case, I hope they succeed." Tsukiyama chuckled. He never liked that woman, she was far too much obsessive, attached, and greedy. Then again, he supposed he wasn't all that much better, having sought after Kaneki so feverously. "That woman is insufferable."

"They're gonna sneak inside the auction." Chie informed him as she walked over, taking a seat next to him. "Wanna watch the show? I hear they've got a few eye catchers this time around."

Tsukiyama sighed. "Chie, you know full well I have no interest in buying such... mundane merchandise." he scolded his 'pet'. "Especially if they belong to Big Madam."

"Aw, you sure?" the tomboy giggled with a knowing tone. Tsukiyama raised an eyebrow. What exactly had her in such good spirits, and why was she talking about this? It was making him rather curious. "I hear one of the items being sold off is a rather terrifying Ghoul..." A smirk fell on her face. "A One-Eye too."

His body froze.

One-Eye... _'Kaneki-kun.'_

"In fact, I've got a picture of the pretty boy right here!" Chie said as she produced something from her pocket, handing it to him. It was an average photo, a selfie of all things, showing Chie in a coffee house, her arm wrapped around-

His eyes widened to the point where they would pop out of their sockets. His hands began to shake, his body trembling. "C-Chie..." he asked, his breath the same as the rest of him. "W-Who is this...?!"

The boy she had her arm around was young, beginning to early twenties, dressed in a black-buttoned shirt with an overturned collar, and a pair of faded gray slacks. His hair was white with black streaks, a rather strange style, but his eyes were very familiar, as was the rest of him. His left eye bore a tinge of red, while the right was calm gray.

He had the exact same face as...!

"That, Tsukiyama-chan," Chie giggled. "is former Ghoul Investigator Haise Sasaki. Oh, he also told me to give you this message." The girl leaned in, whispering in his ear.

What she told him nearly sent him over the edge. It took everything he had to hold himself back.

_"If you try and eat me again like you did two years ago, I'll make Touka-chan look like Muhammad Gandhi by the time I'm through with you."_ Chie delivered the message as instructed, and hopped off the bed. "Well, see ya! I've gotta go! I've got classes!" she shouted over her shoulder. "Have fun, Tsukiyama-chan!"

The moment the door closed, Tsukiyama was unable to hold it back any longer. His body tore itself out of the bed, tossing open the drawer in his dresser, tearing out any clothes he found in his way before he finally found what he was looking for. It was a zip-lock bag hidden at the bottom, hiding a piece of white tissue paper with a bloody stain on it.

He literally tore the bag open, and buried his nose in it, inhaling deeply. _'Ah, this scent... How long has it been since I've smelled this sweet, delicate aroma...?'_ he wondered, feeling his body in absolute bliss. The grip on the bag was powerful; it almost looked as if he were about to tear the bag from the seams. It was as if someone had undone a seal, removed the clog in his nostrils that prevented him from smelling this delicious smell, the one that would lead him to absolute happiness.

"You were alive..." Tsukiyama gasped as he continued to take the absolute sweet scent into his nostrils. "After all this time, you were alive!" Soon, he began to laugh, removing the bag from his face. His blue hair, which had been so neat and clean in the past, was disheveled, reaching down to the collar of his shirt. "It's been so long! SOOOOOOO LOOOOONG!"

He tossed the bag away, and grabbed the next article of scent that was lying about, the underwear that was atop his dresser. He pressed it against his nose, inhaling as deeply as he could. "Aaaaah... You smell wonderful... No, that is blasphmey! You smell absolutely divine! You're sweet aroma has changed again! It's far more delicate, more potent!"

Tsukiyama threw his head back, laughing hysterically, his eyes wide. It only took a moment for his Kakugan to appear, and his Kagune emerging. With but a swift stroke, he slashed down the wall, shattering it completely. "Now, finally, at long last...!"

Another stroke destroyed the mirror on the dresser, fragments flying everywhere.

"I can attain it... that dish which has eluded me for so long!" the Gourmet continued to laugh as he began to wreak havoc upon his room from the joy he was feeling. "What do you say, my sweet Kaneki-kun?! Shall we make a duet of carnage?!" he screamed in delight, twirling his body around and tearing apart the floor. "Shall we make a sweet symphony of terror?!"

He thrusted the blade forward, destroying the large portrait of him and his parents with but a mere impaling strike. "No... even those are weak..." he muttered, a hand coming to his face with a large, madness filled with grin. "Kaneki-kun... Oh, my dear sweet Kaneki-kun..."

Shuu Tsukiyama was finally about to reclaim what was rightfully his.

"Let us make it... the beautiful, absolute sound that the bards will sing for generations..." the man shuddered from the mere thoughts of what were about to come. "The cloud nine... of all orchestras... Let the entire world know of your brilliance! Then, and only then... can I truly take you for myself!"

Outside the door, Chie sighed as she heard him laugh like a madman. "I don't know which part Kanae is gonna be pissed about, the fact that he knows Kaneki-san is alive, or that Tsukiyama-chan's room is torn to shreds."

-Chapter END (10) Blooming Wilted Rose-


	12. Auction Arc: V

**Tokyo Ghoul:reBIRTH**

"No."

"Yes."

"Hell no."

"Yes."

"Fuck no."

"Yes."

"Flying fuck no."

"Yes."

"Hells to the fucking no."

"Yes."

"Absolutely hells to the flying fucking no."

"Yes."

Nishiki growled, a tick mark pulsating over his forehead as he glared at his reflection. "For the last fucking time, HELL NO! I refuse to look like a damn cross-dresser!" he shouted at Kaneki.

With the exception of Tooru, who really didn't need any changes due to his appearance, the boys were dressed up with different hair styles. Ginshi wasn't exactly happy with this plan, in fact he, like Nishiki, was absolutely against it, but unfortunately he had no choice in the matter. Nishiki was remaining defiant, however, his arms crossed over his chest, and glaring at Kaneki.

"Oh come on, quit being stubborn!" Kaneki chided, a comb in one hand and lipstick in the other. "I promise, by the time I am done with you, you'll be BEAUTIFUL! Hell, I'm sure Kimi-san would agree!"

"The hell she would!" Nishiki retorted, his face red at the mere thought of Kimi seeing him like this. "And don't you fucking dare bring her into this! That's playing dirty!"

"Then quit resisting, otherwise I'll bring in reinforcements!" the former Investigator grinned. Nishiki scowled deeper, knowing full well he would ask help from his squad. In all honesty, Kaneki was currently reminding him of Hide, and that was just scary. Kaneki, or Haise, or whoever he was now, he was like a mix of his black-haired self and Hideyoshi.

"You might as well forget it, Nishiki-san." Ginshi told him, shrugging his shoulders. "Sas-san has a way of getting what he wants."

Nishiki knew that well, but even still... this was humiliating!

"...If Kimi finds out about this, I'll eat you."

Kaneki's grin made him feel as if he had just made a deal with the devil.

* * *

Urie's eyes fluttered open when he heard the sound of things cluttering the ground and metal clanking everywhere. "Aaah, craaaap!"

Groaning, the glory-seeking Investigator rubbed his eyes, removing the gunk from them as he lifted himself up. "Nrgh... What...?" he muttered as he looked around, still trying to adjust to the blurry images before they started to clear up. He was in the living room of the Quinx House, having apparently slept on the couch. On the coffee table were several papers and folders, each relating to either former First Class Investigator Haise Sasaki, SS-Rated Ghoul Centipede, and the Eyepatch masked Ghoul responsible for killing Top Class Investigator Kureo Mado alongside the S-Rated Ghoul Rabbit.

"S-sorry, Urie!" a familiar voice shouted from the kitchen, making said Quinx blink in confusion. Wait, was that who he thought it was? "Man, why couldn't Mamman or Mutsuki-chan have taught me how to do this before they left?!"

Urie pushed himself off the couch, and entered the kitchen. It was an absolute mess. Utensils were scattered all over the place, substances which he assumed to be food were splattered over the counters and the floor. In the center of it all... was Third Class Investigator Saiki Yonebashi.

Urie blinked again, rubbing his eyes to make sure he wasn't seeing things. "...Third Class Investigator Yonebashi?" he asked, as if making sure this was her. "What are you doing?"

"Er..." Saiko scratched her cheek with a nervous grin, revealing her shark-like teeth, much like what Ginshi possessed. "Trying to cook breakfast... Well, 'trying' being the key word here."

Ah... so he wasn't imagining things. _'Hell must be freezing over if this NEET decided to get up on her own and tried to cook breakfast...'_ Urie thought as he sighed, shaking his head. "Get out. I'll cook."

"EH?!" the blue-haired NEET gasped in shock, her eyes wide. "YOU CAN COOK?!"

"Not as well as former Investigators Mutsuki or Sasaki," he confessed, not missing the sad look that passed through her eyes when he mentioned their names. "But at the very least, it's edible."

Saiko did as he requested, leaving the kitchen. The glory-seeking Investigator couldn't help but sigh at the sheer amount of the mess that Saiko had created, and swore he would make sure never to allow her near a kitchen for the rest of his life.

It took him about twenty to thirty minutes to clean the damn place, and about five to ten minutes to make breakfast, nothing really all that fancy compared to what Haise Sasaki made. "Hey, Urie!" Saiko called out as he walked into the living room, holding their plates of food. "What is all of this?"

"Information on former Investigator Sasaki and the SS-Rated Ghoul, Centipede." Urie answered, placing the plates on the table before sitting back down on the sofa. "I'm sure Top-Class Investigator Mado has informed you what happened during our pursuit of Torso and of our encounter with the S-Rated Ghoul, Serpent."

"Yeah..." Saiko nodded, albeit sadly. "They said Mamman went ballistic and brought out something called a Kakuja, right?"

Urie nodded, turning his attention back to the files and papers. "Well, former Investigator Sasaki's Kakuja resembled a pair of centipedes. Incidentally, the reason why Centipede earned his designation was because his Kakuja resembled a centipede as well. Before he became a known SS-Rated Ghoul, he was known as Eyepatch, an accomplice with Rabbit before he was an S-Rated in the murder of Top Class Investigator Kureo Mado."

"Mado?" Saiko frowned. "Isn't that...?"

"Yes. Top Class Investigator Akira Mado's father." Urie confirmed. "At any rate, it's possible that Centipede and Haise Sasaki are one of the same. However..."

"However...?" Saiko pressed on, now curious. She, like Tooru and Ginshi, had always wondered what sort of past their teacher might have had.

"According to the information I managed to gather from the archives, Centipede was recorded to have been eliminated by Special Class Investigator Kishou Arima." Saiko's eyes widened to the point where they would pop out. The Quinx Squad had met Arima before, but that had been a very long time ago, probably about a year after the Quinx were formed.

"B-but if that's true, then wouldn't that mean this Centipede person and Mamman aren't the same person?" she stammered. "I mean, this is Arima-san we're talking about!"

'_Investigator Yonebashi does bear an interesting point...'_ Urie thought in agreement, a hand coming to his chin. _'There have been no Ghouls to have ever managed to escape from Arima, neither have their been any that have managed to harm him. Arima is like a God to Investigators, something that just cannot be touched. Something like the SSS-Rated One-Eyed Owl would probably be the only match for someone like him. The Centipede would be killed easily. But, if former Investigator Sasaki is indeed the Centipede... Why is he alive? And why was he made into an Investigator?'_

"Eh? What's this?" Saiko frowned as she took a paper from the stack. Urie saw what she was looking at, and dismissed it. "It's nothing but a report made by Investigator Mado back when she was a Second Class and her former partner, Top Class Investigator Koutarou Amon. It doesn't have any significance as far as I am concerned, considering it is nothing but conjecture and theories. What I am after are leads and facts."

The blue-haired NEET raised an eyebrow, wondering why Urie wanted to find a connection between the two Ghouls so badly before deciding to take a read for it herself.

**The report is as follows: When the Eyepatch first appeared, he was engaged in combat against Koutarou Amon, who was a First-Class Investigator at the time, while his partner, Top Class Investigator Kureo Mado, was engaged in battle against the Rabbit, who was responsible for the death of another Investigator. The Eyepatch overpowered Investigator Amon and destroyed his Quinque, but strangely, allowed him to live. Investigator Mado was not as fortunate, having lost an arm and a leg, along with several lacerations all over his body.**

**A few months later, the Eyepatch was seen by Investigator Amon during the Aogiri Extermination Raid in the 11****th**** Ward. It is unknown if Eyepatch is a member of Aogiri. Eyepatch was later recorded to have wiped out a Ghoul Restaurant ran by the Gourmet, who was known by the alias of MM. Judging from the level of destruction and the wounds found the Ghouls, it is likely he was searching for someone, or possibly something that could be found in the Restaurant. Evidence suggests that someone in the Restaurant betrayed the patrons, likely the Gourmet.**

**An interesting fact later came up concerning the Eyepatch, which was discovered by Associate Special Class Hoji and Second Class Investigator Seidou Takizawa and later reported to Second Class Investigator Juuzou Suzuya and his partner Yukinori Shinohara. Six months prior to the appearance of the Eyepatch, a steel beam accident occurred, killing a college student. At the site of the accident was a heavily injured young man. In the reports that were made, the doctor deemed the woman unable to be saved, and transferred her organs into the young man, without the consent from the next of kin. The doctor in charge was a former coroner of CCG, Akihiko Kanou. After the operation, both the doctor and the young student were not seen since.**

**Since the incident, the S-Rated Binge Eater Ghoul has not made an appearance, and feeding ground kills have been reduced from the Wards he/she has been known to frequent. It is speculated that the woman killed in the beam accident is the Binge Eater, and the student, her next meal. It is unknown if it is possible for a human to become a Ghoul via organ transplant, but at this time, it is under consideration.**

**The name of the student, who we believe to be the Eyepatch, is...**

"Urie, look!" Saiko shouted, forcing Urie to scowl as he looked away from his papers. "You missed something!"

"What are you talking about?" he asked as she pointed at the information listed below. Urie thought it to be nothing but speculation and rumors. He preferred actual information, information he could trust, information that could provide him a lead. However, as he began to read the information that Saiko was pointing at, his eyes widened.

'_This ill-fit cog might have it's uses after all...'_ he thought as he slipped his hand into his pocket, producing his cell. As he punched in a few numbers, he waited for the other end to pick up.

"Hello, Public Archives? My name is Koori Urie, I'm an Investigator with the Commission of Counter Ghoul. I need you to give me all the information you have on a student at Kamii University from two years ago. We believe he might be crucial in a case I am working on right now."

"_I see..."_ the receptionist on the other end said. _"Do you know the name of the student?"_

"Yes. His name is Ken Kaneki."

"_One moment..."_ There was a few minutes of silence. _"I'm sorry, sir, but there is no one by that name here on our records."_

'_What?!'_ "Are you sure?"

"_Yes. Was there anything else?"_

"No, that will be all. Thank you for your time." Urie thanked the receptionist as he ended the call. _'That's impossible...'_ he thought in disbelief, looking back at the paper Saiko had given him. _'His name is listed right here in the reports, there is even information about him! So, how is it that Public Archives doesn't have any information?'_

That was when a disturbing thought came to him. Was it possible that CCG erased any and all traces that Ken Kaneki ever existed? But... if that was the case, then...

"Just what the hell is going on?"

-Chapter END (11) Uncovering Secrets-


End file.
